蠶絲由稱為絲蛋白的重鏈與輕鏈核心蛋白組成，其裹著絲膠蛋白，為具黏性膠狀的蛋白質集合體。在顯微鏡下，生絲呈現為兩條與絲膠蛋白結合在一起的股線。相傳，絲綢是由中國皇后西陵氏在她的茶中掉入蠶繭時所發現的。中國對絲綢織物的生產保持了近3000年的壟斷地位。家蠶於西元195年及西元555年首次在日本及歐洲被養殖。

蠶絲(纖維)　(P,,U,繁體中文-偏好,D,,)
絲(纖維)　(,U,繁體中文-非偏好,UF,U,U)
ts'an ssu (P,,U,韋氏拼音-偏好,UF,U,U)
cán sī (P,,U,漢語拼音-偏好,UF,U,U)
can si (P,,U,漢語拼音(無聲調)-偏好,UF,U,U)
silk(fiber)　(P,,U,英文-偏好,D,U,N)
zijde(vezel)　(P,,U,荷蘭語-偏好,D,U,U)
ruwe zijde(,U,荷蘭語-非偏好,UF,U,U)
soie(fiber)　(P,,U,法語-偏好,D,U,N)
seda(fibra)　(P,,U,西班牙語-偏好,D,U,U)

藝術與建築詞典根目錄
....材料層面
........材料 (材料層面)
............材料
................<依來源區分之材料>
....................<生物材料>
........................動物材料
............................<絲心蛋白材料>
................................蠶絲 (纖維)

藝術與建築詞典根目錄
....代理者層面
........活體有機體
............真核生物 (域)
................動物界 (界)
....................<動物或人體構造>
........................蠶絲 (纖維)

object(s) using/produced by are....	絲綢
derived from....	家蠶屬(屬)

英文....	A fine, lustrous, natural fiber obtained from the catepillar cocoons of silk moths, such as the domesticated Bombyx mori. Silkworm silk is composed of a heavy and light chain of core proteins called fibroins, which are coated by sericin, a collection of sticky, glue-like proteins. Microscopically, raw silk appears as two strands that are held together with sericin protein. According to legend, silk was discovered by Chinese Empress Si-Ling-Shi when a cocoon fell in her tea. China maintained a monopoly on the production of silk fabric for almost 3,000 years.The worms were first cultivated in Japan about 195 CE and in Europe about 555 CE.
荷蘭語....	Fijne, ononderbroken proteïnevezel die voornamelijk bestaat uit fibroïnedraden en wordt afgescheiden door zijderupsen.
西班牙語....	Fibra proteica continua y fina formada fundamentalmente de filamentos de fibroína, secretada por orugas de seda.

蠶絲(纖維)............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	朗文當代大辭典 1633
.................	國家教育研究院－雙語詞彙、學術名詞暨辭書資訊網 August 13, 2010
.................	智慧藏百科全書網 August 13, 2010
絲(纖維)............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	國家教育研究院－雙語詞彙、學術名詞暨辭書資訊網 August 13, 2010
.................	智慧藏百科全書網 August 13, 2010
.................	大英百科全書線上繁體中文版 August 13, 2010
silk(fiber)............	[VP]
.................	CDMARC Subjects: LCSH (1988-) silk
.................	Brady and Clauser, Materials Handbook (1986) 733; silk
.................	Rose and von Endt, Protein Chemistry (1984) silk
.................	Museum Prototype Project, Medium of Objects Frequency Report (1985) silk
.................	Studies in Conservation (1952-) Vol. 2, No. 3, 124; silk
.................	Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1961) silk
.................	Random House Dictionary of the English Language (1987) silk
.................	Getty Vocabulary Program rules
zijde(vezel)............	[Bureau AAT]
.................	AAT-Ned (1994-)
ruwe zijde............	[Bureau AAT]
.................	AAT-Ned (1994-)
soie(fiber)............	[VP]
.................	CHIN database
seda(fibra)............	[CDBP-DIBAM]
.................	Diccionario de términos científicos y técnicos (1981) 2726
Subject:............	[Bureau AAT]
.................	CHIN database
.................	Van Dale groot woordenboek (1994)

Getty AAT: 300014072 Getty AAT: http://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?find=costume&logic=AND¬e=&subjectid=300014072
聯合目錄： 蠶絲 、絲 、ts'an ssu 、cán sī 、can si 、silk 、zijde 、ruwe zijde 、soie 、seda