fiber

American  

[fahy-ber] / ˈfaɪ bər /

especially British, fibre

noun

1. a fine, threadlike piece, as of cotton, jute, or asbestos.

2. a slender filament.

   a fiber of platinum.

3. filaments collectively.

4. matter or material composed of filaments.

   a plastic fiber.

5. something resembling a filament.

6. an essential character, quality, or strength.

   people of strong moral fiber.

7. Botany.

   1. filamentous matter from the bast tissue or other parts of plants, used for industrial purposes.

   2. a slender, threadlike root of a plant.

   3. a slender, tapered cell which, with like cells, serves to strengthen tissue.

8. Anatomy, Zoology. a slender, threadlike element or cell, as of nerve, muscle, or connective tissue.

9. Also called bulk, dietary fiber, roughage.  Nutrition.

   1. the structural part of plants and plant products that consists of carbohydrates, as cellulose and pectin, that are wholly or partially indigestible and when eaten stimulate peristalsis in the intestine.

   2. food containing a high amount of such carbohydrates, as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

10. Chemistry. vulcanized fiber.

11. Optics. optical fiber.

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fiber British  

/ ˈfaɪbə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of fibre

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fiber Scientific  

/ fī′bər /

1. The parts of grains, fruits, and vegetables that contain cellulose and are not digested by the body. Fiber helps the intestines absorb water, which increases the bulk of the stool and causes it to move more quickly through the colon.

2. One of the elongated, thick-walled cells, often occurring in bundles, that give strength and support to tissue in vascular plants. Fibers are one type of sclerenchyma cell.

3. Any of the elongated cells of skeletal or cardiac muscle, made up of slender threadlike structures called myofibrils.

4. The axon of a neuron.

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Other Word Forms

• fiberless adjective
• interfiber adjective

Etymology

Origin of fiber

1350–1400; 1970–75 fiber for def. 9; Middle English fibre (< Middle French ) < Latin fibra filament

Example Sentences

Sea silk -- often referred to as the "golden fiber of the sea" -- was among the most treasured materials of the ancient Roman era.

From Science Daily

This underused by-product has shown strong potential for enriching bread with protein, fiber, and antioxidant compounds.

From Science Daily

TOKYO—Imagine a sheet made of microscopic glass fibers, woven by a former silk maker and thinner than a human hair.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, they remain active as the fiber forms, helping to build the intricate nanostructure that gives spider silk its exceptional strength and flexibility.

From Science Daily

Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective layer surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• grain
• thread
• tissue