textile

American  

[teks-tahyl, -til] / ˈtɛks taɪl, -tɪl /

noun

1. any cloth or goods produced by weaving, knitting, or felting.

2. a material, as a fiber or yarn, used in or suitable for weaving.

   Glass can be used as a textile.

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adjective

1. woven or capable of being woven.

   textile fabrics.

2. of or relating to weaving.

3. of or relating to textiles or the production of textiles.

   the textile industry.

textile British  

/ ˈtɛkstaɪl /

noun

1. any fabric or cloth, esp woven

2. raw material suitable to be made into cloth; fibre or yarn

3. a non-nudist, as described by nudists; one who wears clothes

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adjective

1. of or relating to fabrics or the making of fabrics

Etymology

Origin of textile

1520–30; < Latin textilis woven, textile (noun use of neuter) woven fabric, equivalent to text ( us ), past participle of texere to weave + -ilis, -ile -ile

Example Sentences

From Koli fisherfolk to colonial planners, and from Bollywood stars to textile barons, many have shaped the western Indian city's landscape and identity.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

In years past, she said in a post on X, women would throng textile stores, giving a discerning touch to the fabric they would purchase for newlyweds.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

His examples include textile manufacturing in the 19th century, and the spread of ATMs in the 1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

The Luddite movement, which predated the Swing Riots, was led by textile workers convinced that power-operated looms would permanently impoverish the middle class.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

After all, it didn’t take much education to haul tobacco or push a few buttons on a machine in the textile mills.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• cloth
• fiber
• goods
• yarn