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

She was holding a big piece of fabric in one hand and a fistful of straw in the other.

From Literature

The university's "materials library", which had different books, as well as textiles and fabrics, was also closed, meaning students' projects had to change drastically.

From BBC

There was a real retro feel to her designs, which focus on sustainability through the use of deadstock fabric and environmentally-friendly dyes.

From BBC

I like to look around and sometimes I find interesting fabrics, scarves to wear and strange-shaped succulents for my garden.

From Los Angeles Times

"You don't get many people mending raw cashmere," said Wade, whose role is to meticulously inspect and darn any defects in the fabric by hand, before it is washed, cut and shipped around the world.

From Barron's

Related Words

• fiber
• goods
• textile
• texture