Suedes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of leather with a napped finish, used for clothing or accessories
2. Referring to a fabric that resembles the texture of the underside of animal skin, often soft and supple
3. Commonly associated with stylish footwear or garments that feature a plush touch and are typically more delicate than full-grain leather

Etymology: "Suedes" is the plural of "suede," so it is the plural of a fabric-like leather whose name comes from French. "Suede" was borrowed into English in the early 1800s from French "gants de Suède," meaning "gloves of Sweden." The French phrase referred to gloves made from soft leather, and Sweden was associated with that kind of glove, which is where the name comes from. The word "suede" itself is a shortened form of that phrase. The original clue to its meaning lives in the phrase: the material was named after a place, not after a process or an animal. Plural "suedes" is used when referring to multiple items made of the material, such as several pairs of shoes or jackets.

Synonyms: suede leather, nap, napped leather, soft leather, fuzzy leather