raffia

American  

[raf-ee-uh] / ˈræf i ə /

noun

1. a fiber obtained from the leaves of the raffia palm, used for tying plants and other objects and for making mats, baskets, hats, and the like.

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raffia British  

/ ˈræfɪə /

noun

1. Also called: raffia palm.  a palm tree, Raphia ruffia , native to Madagascar, that has large plumelike leaves, the stalks of which yield a useful fibre

2. the fibre obtained from this plant, used for tying, weaving, etc

3. any of several related palms or the fibre obtained from them

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Etymology

Origin of raffia

1880–85; earlier rofia raffia palm, said to be < Malagasy

Explanation

A raffia is a specific type of African palm tree, and raffia is also the name of the versatile fiber that's made from it. You've might have received a gift that was decorated with a raffia bow. In the world of crafts, raffia is extremely popular. It's a strong, natural fiber that makes an excellent package tie, and it's also used to stake garden plants, weave baskets and placemats, and even for making shoes and hats. In areas of Nigeria, long fronds of raffia are also used as fishing poles. The vast majority of raffia trees are found in Madagascar, and the name comes from the Malagasy rafia.

Example Sentences

Summer romance gets a chic upgrade in Prada’s newest collection, where handwoven raffia accessories meet a sunny summer palette.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2025

According to Vogue: “30 people were involved in the making of the look, and it took 8,500 hours to make with 60,000 crystals and 7,000 folded petal raffia and raw raffia frayed ravens”.

From BBC • May 6, 2024

As the plant grows, position a bamboo cane so that it reaches just above the desired stem height, securing it with a raffia tie to provide support.

From Seattle Times • May 1, 2024

Models walked down a runway in an ornate mansion near the Arc de Triomphe, parading sculptural dresses and sequin-coated tops that were trimmed with raffia.

From Reuters • Jan. 27, 2023

Their report was only off by a hair; the Kongo people made remarkable textiles by beating the fibrous bark of certain trees, or weaving thread from the raffia palm.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver