fabric

American  

[fab-rik] / ˈfæb rɪk /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of fabric

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

Example Sentences

It was the federal officer, she said, who grabbed the umbrella, yanking the fabric off.

From Los Angeles Times

In nearly all states, the cost of caring for children has outpaced even housing and health care, placing immense strain on families and the fabric of our democracy.

From Salon

That Rococo quartet, completed in 1755, is a survey in the soft opulence of the style, filled with idealized nature, rich fabrics and scenes of courtly romance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rob Barr said the two Sussex pubs he owned had "supported local communities" and "fed into the fabric of Britain" for centuries, but needed help to survive.

From BBC

Costelloe often used traditional Irish fabrics and textiles in his designs, including Irish linen and tweed.

From BBC

Related Words

• fiber
• goods
• textile
• texture