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Synonyms

silvery

American  
[sil-vuh-ree] / ˈsɪl və ri /

adjective

  1. resembling silver; of a lustrous grayish-white color.

    the silvery moon.

  2. having a clear, ringing sound like that of silver.

    the silvery peal of bells.

  3. containing or covered with silver.

    silvery deposits.


silvery British  
/ ˈsɪlvərɪ /

adjective

  1. of or having the appearance of silver

    the silvery moon

  2. containing or covered with silver

  3. having a clear ringing sound

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of silvery

First recorded in 1590–1600; silver + -y 1

Explanation

Anything that has a shiny gray color is silvery, like the silvery moonlit surface of a pond at night. The adjective silvery is perfect for describing things that shimmer and glow like silver, whether it's the silverly hue of your grandmother's long hair, silvery moth wings, or the silvery sardines in the tin you just opened. You can also use it to describe ringing, melodious sounds: "I'd know the silvery sound of her laughter anywhere!"

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rarely has one person so dominated the fashion stakes, with a specially made silvery Jacquemus bustier dress on opening night, followed by an enormous hot pink Barbie ballgown by edgy French-Canadian fashion label Matieres Fecales.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

But Ducournau adds a haunting new touch, depicting the infected as developing a silvery rash across their skin before eventually morphing into porcelain-like statues as they die.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Photos shared by the department show a silvery gray fox bounding majestically across a white snowy plain beneath towering, sunlit alpine peaks.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

A BlackFly painted in EMS livery waited for me in the silvery grass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Zoe picks up a lavender vial with silvery glitter shimmers inside.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

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