How do you pronounce vellum?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈvɛləm/.

vellum

/ˈvɛləm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.55 in modern English

Syllables: vel-lum
IPA: /ˈvɛləm/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A type of parchment paper made from the skin of a lamb, baby goat, or calf.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A writing paper of very high quality.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Little, however, of the wall was seen, for it was nearly hidden by the arched book-cases; and the ponderous tomes, mostly bound in black or white vellum, long since grown dingy with age, contrasted forcibly with the gayer ornaments of their habitation."
"From this list are purposely omitted books printed upon vellum, Books of Hours of the Virgin Mary, and illuminated books; for these are rarities within reach of the wealthy only."
"The metaphor is apt, imagining one's spiritual life as a poem, an authored thing, and not preserved on vellum either, but open to revision."

Etymology

From Old French velin (French vélin), from Latin vitulinus (“of a calf”), as if derived from Old French veel (“veal”).

Origin

Source language: Old French

Word Breakdown

Root: velin, vitulinus

Usage

Inflected Forms

vellums (plural)

Derived Forms

vellumlike vellumy

Phrases

vellum cloth vellum paper

Frequently Paired Words

bookfell parchment

Rhymes With

antebellum cerebellum status quo ante bellum flagellum labellum scutellum postbellum flabellum clitellum capitellum haustellum vestibulocerebellum