leather

leather — noun

1. a strong material made from the skin of animals, which is cleaned and chemically

1.nounB1
Definition

a strong material made from the skin of animals, which is cleaned and chemically treated so that it does not decay; it is used to make items such as shoes, bags, belts, and jackets.

Example

Sofia bought a new leather wallet for her father's birthday.

collocation: leather wallet / leather jacket / leather boots

The jacket is made of soft black leather that feels very smooth.

Common collocations
  • genuine leather
  • soft leather
  • black leather
  • leather goods
  • leather industry
  • treated leather
Synonyms
  • hide

    refers to raw, untreated animal skin, not the processed material

  • suede

    a specific type of leather with a brushed, soft surface; not a general synonym

  • skin

    general term covering both human and animal outer layer; 'leather' is only treated animal skin

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

leather + noun (as modifier)

Usage Note

Usually uncountable; the countable form 'leathers' has a different meaning (see LEATHER CLOTHES sense).

Common Mistakes

I bought a leather for my new sofa.
I bought a leather sofa for my new living room.
When referring to the material itself, 'leather' is uncountable and you cannot say 'a leather' to mean an item.

2. clothing items sewn from treated animal skin, most often a jacket and trousers w

2.nounB2
Definition

clothing items sewn from treated animal skin, most often a jacket and trousers worn together by motorcycle riders or racing drivers as protection during crashes.

Example

The motorcyclist put on his leathers before starting the long ride.

plural noun: leathers (protective clothing set)

Kwame stores his racing leathers in the garage between track days.

Common collocations
  • motorcycle leathers
  • racing leathers
  • wear leathers
  • put on leathers
  • set of leathers
  • protective leathers
Synonyms
  • protective gear

    broader term that includes padding, helmet, and other safety items, not just leather clothing

  • racing suit

    specifically for motorsports; often made of leather but refers to a one-piece garment

Grammar Patterns

wear + leathers

in + leathers

Usage Note

Most common in the plural form 'leathers' to refer to a full set of protective clothing. Singular 'leather' in this sense (e.g. 'a leather') is rare and non-standard.

Common Mistakes

He wore a leather to ride his motorcycle.
He wore his leathers to ride the motorcycle.
The full protective suit is always 'leathers' (plural), not 'a leather'.
Idioms

hell for leather

idiom

Moving or doing something as fast as possible.

The thief ran hell for leather down the street.

Did you see Diego ride his bike hell for leather?

leather — verb

Word family

  • leathery
    adjectiveC1
  • leatherworker
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

"Leather," "hide," "skin," and "suede" all relate to animal covering but differ in processing and use. "Hide" refers to the raw, untreated skin of large animals like cows or horses — it is the material before any tanning. "Skin" is the broadest term, covering the outer layer of humans, animals, fruits, and even vegetables, whereas "leather" is exclusively treated animal skin that has been preserved and softened for manufacturing. "Suede" is a subtype of leather: the underside of the animal skin is buffed to create a soft, napped surface. You can buy a "leather jacket" (smooth finish) or a "suede jacket" (brushed finish), but the raw material before processing is "hide."

leather ↗hide ↗skin ↗suede ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • leather goods
  • leather industry
  • leather product
  • leather worker

Phrases

  • genuine leather
  • soft leather
  • black leather
  • brown leather
  • Italian leather

Prepositions

  • made of leather
  • made from leather

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'leather' comes from Old English 'lether', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*leþrą'. This root is shared with Old Norse 'leðr', Dutch 'leder', and German 'Leder'. The word has referred to treated animal skin since the earliest recorded English, reflecting the importance of leather-working in medieval European economies.