fabric

American  

[fab-rik] / ˈfæb rɪk /

noun

• fabrics
  plural

1. a cloth made by weaving, knitting, or felting fibers.

   woolen fabrics.

2. the texture of the woven, knitted, or felted material.

   cloth of a soft, pliant fabric.

3. framework; structure.

   the fabric of society.

4. a building; edifice.

5. the method of construction.

6. the act of constructing, especially of a church building.

7. the maintenance of such a building.

8. Petrography. the spatial arrangement and orientation of the constituents of a rock.

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fabric British  

/ ˈfæbrɪk /

noun

1. any cloth made from yarn or fibres by weaving, knitting, felting, etc

2. the texture of a cloth

3. a structure or framework

   the fabric of society

4. a style or method of construction

5. rare a building

6. the texture, arrangement, and orientation of the constituents of a rock

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fabrics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fabric

1475–85; (< Middle French fabrique ) < Latin fabrica craft, especially metalworking or building, workshop. See forge ¹

Explanation

Fabric is what something is made from, especially clothing. Silk is a common fabric, but you can also talk about "the fabric of society." The most common use of fabric is for clothes: for example, denim is the fabric used to make jeans. All clothes are made of some type or combination of fabrics. The basic structure of a building or a vehicle can also be called fabric, and non-physical things can be represented as fabric too. Metaphorically, you could say honesty is part of the fabric of friendship, or love is part of the fabric of family. Fabric is always the foundation or essence of something.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fabric fabrics

But they are woven into the broader fabric of the film to mostly engaging effect.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Cotton and linen are often comfortable because they absorb moisture and allow air movement, although fabric weave, thickness and moisture handling also matter.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

Due to his ageing fabric, he now usually appears tethered rather than taking to the skies.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

“His fingerprints are everywhere in this industry. His impact extends far beyond the performances we see on screen — it’s woven into the very fabric of Hollywood.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Ida wove the fabric on her loom and then cut and sewed it: brown and blue woolen pants and two shirts.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Often, these are synthetic fabrics such as polyester, which aren’t premium or environmentally friendly material.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

On its website, the company lists Tencel, recycled cotton and dead-stock fabrics as some of its preferred materials to meet its sustainability standards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Avoid heavy bedding, thick duvets and tight synthetic fabrics that trap heat and moisture.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

In a separate interview with fashion website WWD, Pavlovsky denied any plans to expand Charvet beyond its single Paris store, where customers can pick from around 6,000 fabrics.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

I made piles of light, dark, and bright fabrics and one pile I thought was too ugly for keeping.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

Related Words

• fiber
• goods
• textile
• texture