fabric
Americannoun
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fabrics
plural
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a cloth made by weaving, knitting, or felting fibers.
woolen fabrics.
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the texture of the woven, knitted, or felted material.
cloth of a soft, pliant fabric.
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framework; structure.
the fabric of society.
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a building; edifice.
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the method of construction.
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the act of constructing, especially of a church building.
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the maintenance of such a building.
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Petrography. the spatial arrangement and orientation of the constituents of a rock.
noun
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any cloth made from yarn or fibres by weaving, knitting, felting, etc
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the texture of a cloth
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a structure or framework
the fabric of society
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a style or method of construction
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rare a building
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the texture, arrangement, and orientation of the constituents of a rock
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing fabric
Sula
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"Familiar Places"
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Messenger
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, massive objects curve the fabric of spacetime.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
"Since 1901, this football club has been part of the fabric of our city and the broader county of Sussex," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
In an October 2013 letter, Day informed Shannon Wilson that moving forward with the fabric could lead to a conflict with Lululemon and that her work with the company would be terminated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
It’s rooted in quality, intentionality, fabric and well-constructed garments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Lily pulled out a thick album with a fabric cover, much tidier than the battered Big Blue Book Chicken loved so much.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Pauline Dujancourt's London Fashion Week show epitomised this style - focusing on maximum volume and billowing fabrics.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
The team found that many of the volcanic rocks still retain primary magnetic fabrics created by magma movement or volcanic debris flows.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
Its fine jewelry is paired with wallpapers from French design house Mauny and fabrics by Pierre Frey and Lee Jofa.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The soft green remains in the primary bedroom, which also features moody fabrics, such as a tapestry hanging on the wall and heavy patterned curtains.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
By the time we covered the walls and windows of the Clark Street room with dark fabrics and draperies, nary a ray of sunlight could penetrate inside.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
