fibro-

1. a combining form meaning “fiber,” used in the formation of compound words:

   fibrolite.

fibro-

¹

combining_form

1. indicating fibrous tissue

   fibrosis

   fibroin

2. indicating fibre

   fibrocement

fibro

²

/ ˈfaɪbrəʊ /

noun

1. 1. short for fibrocement
   2. ( as modifier )

      a fibro shack

2. a house built of fibrocement

Word History and Origins

Origin of fibro-¹

Combining form representing Latin fibra fiber

Word History and Origins

Origin of fibro-¹

from Latin fibra fibre

Example Sentences

The section of the stalk shows a single U-shaped fibro-vascular bundle, and a strong outer sclerenchymatous sheath.

From Project Gutenberg

The root-stock contains six or eight roundish or flattened fibro-vascular bundles arranged in a circle near the outer surface.

From Project Gutenberg

The fibro-vascular system in the leaf constitutes the venation.

From Project Gutenberg

Threads of fibro-vascular tissue in a leaf, petal, or other flat organ.

From Project Gutenberg

The fibro-vascular bundles consist mainly of bast and wood fibers and vessels.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use Fibro-

What does fibro- mean?

Fibro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “fiber” (or “fibre,” in British English). It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology, referring to slender, threadlike parts of nerve, muscle, or connective tissue.

Fibro- comes from the Latin fibra, meaning “fiber, filament, entrails.” Outside of medicine, fiber has a wide variety of senses in areas ranging from botany to optics to chemistry to nutrition, of course. Be sure to get your fill of fiber at our entry for the word.

What are variants of fibro-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, fibro- becomes fibr-, as in fibrin, source of the closely related combining form fibrino-.

Examples of fibro-

One example of a medical term you may be familiar with that features the combining form fibro- is fibromyalgia, “a syndrome characterized by fatigue and chronic pain in the muscles and in tissues surrounding the joints.”

The combining form fibro- means “fiber,” specifically muscle and tissue fiber in this word. Myalgia means “pain in the muscles.” Fibromyalgia literally translates to “muscle fiber pain.”

What are some words that use the combining form fibro-?

• fibroadenoma
• fibroblast
• fibrocyst
• fibrodysplasia
• fibromuscular
• fibromyectomy
• fibrosarcoma

What are some other forms that fibro- may be commonly confused with?

• fascio-
• ferro-
• tribo-
• vibro-

Break it down!

The combining form -cyst represents the word cyst, a fluid-containing sac that forms in animal tissues. What part of the body, generally speaking, does a fibrocyst affect?