noun
vellum
VEL-um/ˈveləm/
A smooth writing material made from or resembling finely prepared animal skin.
A sheet of smooth vellum lies beside a quill.
Etymology
Old French velin meant parchment made from calfskin, with its name based on the word for “calf” also behind veal. The material was thus named for the animal whose skin supplied it.
In context
By the time the Welsh bishop and biographer of Alfred the Great, Assaer, put Quill to vellum in the 9th century AD,
More examples
- The museum displays a manuscript written on vellum.
- She prints the invitations on translucent vellum.
- The artist uses vellum for a detailed ink drawing.
Forms
vellum