"fine soft thread produced by the larvae of certain types of moths, feeding on mulberry leaves;" c. 1300, silke, from Old English seoloc, sioloc "silk, silken cloth," from Latin sericum "silk," plural serica "silken garments, silks," literally "Seric stuff," neuter of Sericus, from Greek Serikos "pertaining to the Sēres," an oriental people of Asia from whom the Greeks got silks. Their region is vaguely described but seems to correspond to northern China as approached from the northwest.

Western cultivation began 552 C.E., when agents from Byzantium impersonating monks smuggled silkworms and mulberry leaves out of China. Chinese si "silk," Manchurian sirghe, Mongolian sirkek have been compared to this and the people-name Seres in Greek might be a rendering via Mongolian of the Chinese word for "silk," but this is uncertain.

Cognate with Old Norse silki but the word is not found elsewhere in Germanic. The more common Germanic form is represented by Middle English say, from Old French seie, which, with Spanish seda, Italian seta, Dutch zijde, and German Seide, is from Medieval Latin seta "silk," which is perhaps elliptical for seta serica, or else a particular use of seta "bristle, hair" (see seta (n.)).

According to some sources [Buck, OED], the use of -l- instead of -r- in the Balto-Slavic form of the word (Old Church Slavonic šelku, Lithuanian šilkai) passed into English via the Baltic trade and may reflect a Chinese dialectal form, or a Slavic alteration of the Greek word. But the Slavic linguist Vasmer dismisses that, based on the initial sh- in the Slavic words, and suggests the Slavic words are from Scandinavian rather than the reverse.

As an adjective from mid-14c. In reference to the "hair" of corn, 1660s, American English (corn-silk is from 1861). The ancient Silk Road was so called in English by 1895.

"wearing or favoring silken hose," 1590s, from silk stocking (n.) "stocking made of silk" (1590s); see silk + stocking (n.). From the first they were symbols of extravagance, and in America after the Revolution silk stockings, especially worn by men, were regarded as reprehensible, indicative of luxurious habits.

"a screen of silk," especially used in printing, 1930; see silk + screen (n.). By 1977 as "a silk-screen print." The verb, also silkscreen, is attested by 1961. Related: Silkscreened.

late 14c., sarge, in reference to a woolen cloth in use in the Middle Ages, apparently of a coarse texture, from Old French sarge, serge (12c.), Medieval Latin sargium, sargea "cloth of wool mixed with silk or linen,"  from Vulgar Latin *sarica, from Latin serica (vestis) "silken (garment)," from serica, from Greek serikē, fem. of serikos "silken" (see silk).

In later use of a kind of strong, durable fabric, originally woven of silk, later of worsted. The French word is the source of German sarsche, Danish sarge, etc. Also as a verb. Related: Serger.

Old English seolcen "made of silk;" see silk + -en (2). The meaning "silk-like, soft and glossy" is from 1510s.

"larva of a silk-producing moth," Old English seolcwyrm; see silk + worm (n.).

1610s, "made of or consisting of silk," from silk + -y (2). By 1670s as "soft and smooth as silk." Related: Silkily; silkiness. Middle English had silki-werk "silken embroidery" (c. 1400).

(also bombasine, bambazine), 1550s, "raw cotton;" 1570s, "twilled or corded dress material woven of silk and wool, always inexpensive and of the same color," from French bombasin (14c.) "cotton cloth," from Medieval Latin bombacinium "silk texture," from Late Latin bombycinium, neuter of bombycinius "silken," from bombyx "silk, silkworm," from Greek bombyx (see bombast). The post-classical transfer of the word from "silk" to "cotton" may reflect the perceived "silk-like" nature of the fabric, or a waning of familiarity with genuine silk in the European Dark Ages, but compare bombast.

type of corded fabric having a silk warp and a weft of wool heavier than the silk, 1710, from French papeline "cloth of fine silk and worsted" (1660s), probably from Provençal papalino, fem. of papalin "of or belonging to the pope," from Medieval Latin papalis "papal" (see papal). The reference is to Avignon, papal residence during the schism 1309-1408 (and regarded as a papal town until 1791), which also was a center of silk manufacture. Influenced in English by Poperinghe, town in Flanders where the fabric was made (but from 18c. the primary source was Ireland).

mid-14c., "fine, smooth, lustrous, costly silk cloth," also taffata, taffety, from Old French taffetas (early 14c.), from Italian taffeta or Medieval Latin taffata, ultimately from Persian taftah "silk or linen cloth," noun use of past participle of taftan "to twist, spin, weave, interlace," from Iranian *tap-. Applied to different fabrics in different eras (and compare tapestry).