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

Retailers are also updating product descriptions with AI in mind, highlighting that a suit is made with breathable fabric or is good for warmer temperatures, as examples.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

“Like lead in the water in Flint, Mich., and the forest fires out West, the very fabric of our lives is being altered.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

They get in and out in under two hours, often starting as minor hits that become part of the cultural fabric through repetition; they’re on in the background and there when you need them.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

The couple also wove Scottish traditions into their ceremony, taking part in a Celtic handfasting ritual, using pieces of fabric provided by both of their grandmothers.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

At first, she thought of taking the skeleton’s dress and making a bag out of it, but one tug on the fabric was enough to tear it.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

New research is challenging the assumptions that fabrics such as cotton and wool pose no health risks and don’t shed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Ali likes to use expansive spaces and incorporate fabrics and textiles, whether it’s a red, sequin-covered chador or a tubular-looking worm made out of polyester, Lycra and spandex.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Pauline Dujancourt's London Fashion Week show epitomised this style - focusing on maximum volume and billowing fabrics.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

The team developed specialized, machine-knitted fabrics that can "snap" from one stable shape to another.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026

Many of the fabrics that we know of today came to Europe via the Muslims, and their names still show their origins: damask from Damascus, muslin from Mosul, gauzes from Gaza.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson

Related Words

• fiber
• goods
• textile
• texture