What does "damask" mean?
An ornate silk fabric originating from Damascus.
Damask
adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An ornate silk fabric originating from Damascus.
- Grammar: damask is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: alloy, brocade, cardinal, carmine.
- Useful contrasts: plain, plain fabric, plain napkin.
- Usage evidence: I'm not sure I like the damask wallpaper, Tom.
How to use "damask"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "damask" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "damask" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "damask" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "damask" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "damask" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "damask", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An ornate silk fabric originating from Damascus. countable, uncountable
"True damasks are pure silk."
- 2 a fabric of linen or cotton or silk or wool with a reversible pattern woven into it wordnet
- 3 Linen so woven that a pattern is produced by the different directions of the thread, without contrast of colour. countable, uncountable
- 4 a table linen made from linen with a damask pattern wordnet
- 5 A heavy woolen or worsted stuff with a pattern woven in the same way as the linen damask; made for furniture covering and hangings. countable, uncountable
"Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Damascus steel. countable, uncountable
- 7 The peculiar markings or water of such steel. countable, uncountable
- 8 A damask rose, Rosa × damascena. countable, uncountable
- 9 A grayish-pink color, like that of the damask rose. countable, uncountable
"Thursday. D. certainly improved. Better night. Slight tinge of damask revisiting cheek."
Verb
- 1 To decorate or weave in damascene patterns
"Madame de Mercœur had herself arranged her dress, which was splendid white silk, damasked with silver flowers; but it was with much internal misgiving that she put on the graceful cap and plume."
Adjective
- 1 Of a grayish-pink colour, like that of the damask rose.
"But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud, / Feed on her damask cheek"
- 2 Relating to, or originating at, the city of Damascus.
Adjective
- 1 having a woven pattern wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"I'm not sure I like the damask wallpaper, Tom."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "damask"?
Common synonyms include: alloy, brocade, cardinal, carmine, cerise, color.
How do you use "damask" in a sentence?
I'm not sure I like the damask wallpaper, Tom.
Etymology
From Middle English damaske, from Medieval Latin damascus, named after the city Damascus, where the fabric was originally made.