Definition

Noun: 1. A type of hosiery: A sheer, close-fitting garment covering the foot and leg, traditionally made from silk but now often from synthetic materials like nylon or rayon. It is worn by women. 2. A wealthy, aristocratic person (dated, chiefly US): A person, especially one involved in politics, who is perceived as belonging to or favoring the wealthy, privileged classes. This term is often used critically or disparagingly.

Usage

• The term primarily refers to a physical garment. When used in its figurative sense to describe a person, it is often hyphenated ("silk-stocking") and carries a connotation of elitism.

Examples

• Literal meaning (garment):
  • She wore a pair of fine silk stockings with her evening gown.
  • Modern silk stockings are often reinforced at the toe and heel.
• Figurative meaning (person):
  • The candidate was accused of being a silk-stocking politician, out of touch with the common worker.
  • That silk-stocking district is known for its mansions and private clubs.

Advanced Usage

• The figurative use originates from the 19th century, when silk stockings were a luxury item only the wealthy could afford. Calling someone a "silk stocking" implied they lived a life of luxury and were detached from the everyday concerns of ordinary people.

Variants and Related Words

• Silk-stocking (adjective): Used to describe something associated with wealth or aristocracy.
  • The charity ball was a silk-stocking affair.
• Stocking (noun): The general term for the garment. "Silk stocking" specifies the material.
• Hosiery (noun): A general term for stockings, socks, and tights.

Synonyms

• For the garment: Sheer stocking, nylon, hose (general).
• For the person (figurative): Aristocrat, patrician, blue blood, plutocrat (context-dependent).

Idioms and Phrases

• "Silk-stocking district": A neighborhood or electoral district inhabited primarily by wealthy people.
  • He represents a silk-stocking district and votes accordingly.
• The term itself, when applied to a person, functions as a fixed expression or idiom meaning a wealthy elitist.

Noun

1. women's stockings made from a sheer material (nylon or rayon or silk)