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silk stocking

silk stocking

3 3.5
A thin, smooth leg covering for women made of silk or similar cloth
  • noun
  • /sɪlk ˈstɑkɪŋ/
translation icon : medias de seda
  • I bought her a white dress and white silk stockings.
  • a pair of silk stockings
  • wearing silk stockings
  • silk stockings and garter

Really great actors, great people on silk stockings.

Examples

  • Mama got a pair of silk stockings and a new comb.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • They passed endless stalls of merchants selling silk stockings, flowers, fresh fruit, and hot noodles in soup.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • "What I want is a pair of silk stockings.

  • I never thought I'd be wearing real silk stockings.

  • I haven't had silk stockings before.

  • Whippy Bird and I could see she was wearing silk stockings with no runs.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You're never lonely with a pair of silk stockings.

  • "When I get rich, I'm going to have new silk stockings every day of the year and never wear a pair with runs," May Anna told us.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • How would you like to give Frau Schulz silk stockings for Christmas?

  • She wore a beautiful dress paired with elegant silk stockings for the evening party.

Synonyms

stocking
vssilk stocking
62 1.0

A thin garment like a long sock that covers the foot and leg

is the women's sheer version made from smooth, fine fabrics rather than any fabric
nylon stocking
vssilk stocking
1 2.6

A thin close-fitting covering for the foot and leg made of nylon and worn by women

is the general name covering items made from many smooth, sheer fabrics
nylons
vssilk stocking
1 2.3

Thin stockings that women wear on their legs

is the singular, specific term used for one such garment
rayon stocking
vssilk stocking
4.9

A thin, see-through stocking for women made from rayon fiber

is broader and includes items made from other fibers as well

How Sheer

nylons
1 2.3
silk stocking
3 3.5
tights
1 1.0

Surface Forms

silk stocking singular

Morphology

silk + stocking

The meaning 'a stocking made from silk or similar smooth fabric' is directly and compositionally derived from 'silk' (the material) + 'stocking' (the garment), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the phrase. This material+object noun compound is a common, cross-linguistic pattern (e.g., 'silk shirt', 'wooden table'), making the construction transparent.

Etymology

Silk stocking comes from a stocking made of silk, a smooth, expensive cloth. Because silk used to be costly, wearing silk stockings showed 'wealth' and 'style', so today the phrase still means a fine, thin women's stocking.