fabric
Other forms: fabrics
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.
Definitions of fabric
-
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers“the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent”types:abaa fabric woven from goat hair and camel hairacrylica synthetic fabricAertexa trademark for a loosely woven cotton fabric that is used to make shirts and underwearalpacaa thin glossy fabric made of the wool of the Lama pacos, or made of a rayon or cotton imitation of that woolbaizea bright green fabric napped to resemble felt; used to cover gaming tablesbasket weavea cloth woven of two or more threads interlaced to suggest the weave of a basketbatika dyed fabric; a removable wax is used where the dye is not wantedbatistea thin plain-weave cotton or linen fabric; used for shirts or dressesbeltingthe material of which belts are madebombazinea twilled fabric used for dresses; the warp is silk and the weft is worstedbouclea fabric of uneven yarn that has an uneven knobby effectbroadclotha closely woven silk or synthetic fabric with a narrow crosswise ribbroadclotha densely textured woolen fabric with a lustrous finishbrocadethick heavy expensive material with a raised patternbuckrama coarse cotton fabric stiffened with glue; used in bookbinding and to stiffen clothingbuntinga loosely woven fabric used for flags, etc.calicocoarse cloth with a bright printcambrica finely woven white linencamleta fabric of Asian origin; originally made of silk and camel's haircamo, camouflagefabric dyed with splotches of green and brown and black and tan; intended to make the wearer of a garment made of this fabric hard to distinguish from the backgroundcanopythe umbrellalike part of a parachute that fills with aircanvasa heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)cashmerea soft fabric made from the wool of the Cashmere goatcereclotha waterproof waxed cloth once used as a shroudchallisa soft lightweight fabric (usually printed)chambraya lightweight fabric woven with white threads across a colored warpchenillea heavy fabric woven with from soft tufted cord or yarn; used in rugs and bedspreadschiffona sheer fabric of silk or rayonchinoa coarse twilled cotton fabric frequently used for uniformschintza brightly printed and glazed cotton fabriccoatinga heavy fabric suitable for coatscobweba fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spidercottonfabric woven from cotton fiberscretonnean unglazed heavy fabric; brightly printed; used for slipcovers and draperiescrinolinea stiff coarse fabric used to stiffen hats or clothingdamaska fabric of linen or cotton or silk or wool with a reversible pattern woven into itdiamantefabric covered with glittering ornaments such as sequins or rhinestonesdiapera fabric (usually cotton or linen) with a distinctive woven pattern of small repeated figuresdimitya strong cotton fabric with a raised pattern; used for bedcovers and curtainsdoeskina fine smooth soft woolen fabricdraperycloth gracefully draped and arranged in loose foldsducka heavy cotton fabric of plain weave; used for clothing and tentselastica fabric made of yarns containing an elastic materialetamin, etaminea soft cotton or worsted fabric with an open mesh; used for curtains or clothing etc.faillea ribbed woven fabric of silk or rayon or cottonfelta fabric made of compressed matted animal fibersflannela soft light woolen fabric; used for clothingflannelettea cotton fabric imitating flannelfleecea soft bulky fabric with deep pile; used chiefly for clothingfoularda light plain-weave or twill-weave silk or silklike fabric (usually with a printed design)friezea heavy woolen fabric with a long napfustiana strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight napgabardinea firm durable fabric with a twill weavegeorgettea thin silk dress materialginghama clothing fabric in a plaid weavegrograma coarse fabric of silk mixed with wool or mohair and often stiffened with gumgrosgraina silk or silklike fabric with crosswise ribshair, hairclothcloth woven from horsehair or camelhair; used for upholstery or stiffening in garmentsherringbonea twilled fabric with a herringbone patternhomespuna rough loosely woven fabric originally made with yarn that was spun at homehorsehaira fabric made from fibers taken from the mane or tail of horses; used for upholsteryjaconeta lightweight cotton cloth with a smooth and slightly stiff finish; used for clothing and bandagesjacquarda highly figured fabric woven on a Jacquard loomkhakia sturdy twilled cloth of a yellowish brown color used especially for military uniformsknita fabric made by knittinglacea delicate decorative fabric woven in an open web of symmetrical patternslamea fabric interwoven with threads of metallinena fabric woven with fibers from the flax plantlinsey-woolseya rough fabric of linen warp and wool or cotton wooflintcotton or linen fabric with the nap raised on one side; used to dress woundslislea fabric woven with lisle threadmackinawa heavy woolen cloth heavily napped and felted, often with a plaid designmadrasa light patterned cotton clothmarseillestrong cotton fabric with a raised pattern; used for bedspreadsmetallica fabric made of a yarn that is partly or entirely of metalmohairfabric made with yarn made from the silky hair of the Angora goatmoleskina durable cotton fabric with a velvety napmonk's clotha heavy cloth in basket weavemoquettea thick velvety synthetic fabric used for carpets and soft upholsterymoreena heavy fabric of wool (or wool and cotton) used mostly in upholstery or for curtainsmotleya multicolored woolen fabric woven of mixed threads in 14th to 17th century Englandmousseline de solea gauze-like fabric of silk or rayonmuslinplain-woven cotton fabricnankeena durable fabric formerly loomed by hand in China from natural cotton having a yellowish colormesh, meshing, meshwork, net, networkan open fabric of string or rope or wire woven together at regular intervalsninona fine strong sheer silky fabric made of silk or rayon or nylonnylona synthetic fabricoilclothcloth treated on one side with a drying oil or synthetic resinolive draba cloth of an olive-brown color used for military uniformsorganzaa fabric made of silk or a silklike fabric that resembles organdypaisleya soft wool fabric with a colorful swirled pattern of curved shapespepper-and-salta fabric woven with flecks of light and darkpercalea fine closely woven cotton fabricdurable press, permanent pressa fabric that has been chemically processed to resist wrinkles and hold its shapepilot clotha thick blue cloth used to make overcoats and coats for sailors etcpinstripea fabric with very thin stripespiquetightly woven fabric with raised cordsplusha fabric with a nap that is longer and softer than velvetpolyesterany of a large class of synthetic fabricspongeea soft thin cloth woven from raw silk (or an imitation)poplina ribbed fabric used in clothing and upholsteryprinta fabric with a dyed pattern pressed onto it (usually by engraved rollers)quiltinga material used for making a quilt, or a quilted fabricrayona synthetic silklike fabricsackclotha coarse cloth resembling sackingsailclotha strong fabric (such as cotton canvas) used for making sails and tentssamitea heavy silk fabric (often woven with silver or gold threads); used to make clothing in the Middle Agessateena cotton fabric with a satiny finishsatina smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull backsatinet, satinettea fabric with a finish resembling satin but made partly or wholly from cotton or synthetic fiberscreeningfabric of metal or plastic meshscrima firm open-weave fabric used for a curtain in the theaterseersuckera light puckered fabric (usually striped)sergea durable, woven wool fabric with raised diagonal linesshaga fabric with long coarse napshantunga heavy silk fabric with a rough surface (or a cotton imitation)sharkskina smooth crisp fabricsheetingfabric from which bed sheets are madeshirtingany of various fabrics used to make men's shirtsshirttailfabric forming the tail of a shirtsilesiaa sturdy twill-weave cotton fabric; used for pockets and liningssilka fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvaespandexan elastic synthetic fabricsponge clothany soft porous fabric (especially in a loose honeycomb weave)stammela coarse woolen cloth formerly used for undergarments and usually dyed bright redsuitinga fabric used for suitsswan's downsoft woolen fabric used especially for baby clothestaffetaa crisp, smooth, lustrous fabrictammyplain-woven (often glazed) fabric of wool or wool and cotton used especially formerly for linings and garments and curtainsterry, terry cloth, terryclotha pile fabric (usually cotton) with uncut loops on both sides; used to make bath towels and bath robestickinga strong fabric used for mattress and pillow coverstweedthick woolen fabric used for clothing; originated in Scotlandtwilla cloth with parallel diagonal lines or ribsupholstery materialthe fabric used in upholsteringVelcronylon fabric used as a fasteningvelveta silky densely piled fabric with a plain backvelveteena usually cotton fabric with a short pile imitating velvetvicunaa soft wool fabric made from the fleece of the vicunaViyellaa fabric made from a twilled mixture of cotton and woolvoilea light semitransparent fabricwash-and-weara fabric treated to be easily washable and to require no ironingwaterproofany fabric impervious to waterweba fabric (especially a fabric in the process of being woven)webbinga strong fabric woven in stripswhipcorda strong worsted or cotton fabric with a diagonal ribwinceya plain or twilled fabric of wool and cotton used especially for warm shirts or skirts and pajamaswire clothfabric woven of metallic wireworsteda woolen fabric with a hard textured surface and no nap; woven of worsted yarns "he wore a worsted suit"yokefabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garmentpina clotha fine cloth made from pineapple fibersbalbriggana cotton knit fabric used for underwearBedford corda heavy corded fabric similar to corduroy; used for clothingbibtop part of an apron; covering the chestBrussels lacefine lace with a raised or applique designCanton crepea soft thick crinkled dress crepe; heavier than crepe de Chinechamois clotha piece of chamois used for washing windows or carschicken wirea galvanized wire network with a hexagonal mesh; used to build fenceschinchillaa thick twilled fabric of wool and cottonCourtellean acrylic fabric resembling woolcrepe de Chinea very thin crepe of silk or silklike fabricdouble knita knit fabric similar to jersey that is made with two sets of needles producing a double thickness joined by interlocking stitchesdrop clotha large piece of cloth laid over the floor or furniture while a room is being painteddust cover, dust sheeta large piece of cloth used to cover furniture that is not in use for a long periodend, oddment, remainder, remnanta piece of cloth that is left over after the rest has been used or soldfiletlace having a square meshgauze, gauze bandage(medicine) bleached cotton cloth of plain weave used for bandages and dressingsgore, panela piece of cloth that is generally triangular or tapering; used in making garments or umbrellas or sailsground cloth, groundsheeta waterproofed piece of cloth spread on the ground (as under a tent) to protect from moistureguimpea piece of starched cloth covering the shoulders of a nun's habithairneta small net that some women wear over their hair to keep it in placehandkerchief, hankey, hankie, hankya square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessoryHarris Tweeda loosely woven tweed made in the Outer Hebridesjerseya slightly elastic machine-knit fabriclongyi, lungi, lungyia long piece of brightly colored cloth (cotton or silk) used as clothing (a skirt or loincloth or sash etc.) in India and Pakistan and Burmamacramea relatively coarse lace; made by weaving and knotting cordsnainsooka soft lightweight muslin used especially for babiesnarrow walecorduroy with narrow ribsOrlonan acrylic fiber or the lightweight crease-resistant fabric made with Orlon yarnspatcha piece of cloth used as decoration or to mend or cover a holebobbin lace, pillow lacea handmade lace worked on a pillow with threads wound on bobbins; the pattern is marked out on the pillow by pinsplacketa piece of cloth sewn under an openingreseaua net or mesh foundation for lacerusseta reddish brown homespun fabricsafety neta large strong net to catch circus acrobats who fall or jump from a trapezecanvas, sail, sheeta large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vesselsave-alla net hung between ship and pier while loading a shipsnoodan ornamental net in the shape of a bag that confines a woman's hair; pins or ties at the back of the headswatcha sample piece of clothterry, terry cloth, terryclotha pile fabric (usually cotton) with uncut loops on both sides; used to make bath towels and bath robestowela rectangular piece of absorbent cloth (or paper) for drying or wipingtrainpiece of cloth forming the long back section of a gown that is drawn along the floortricota knitted fabric or one resembling knittingtuckera detachable yoke of linen or lace worn over the breast of a low-cut dresstullea fine (often starched) net used for veils or tutus or gownsUltrasuedea synthetic suede clothwide walecorduroy with wide ribswinceyettecotton flannelette with a nap on both sides
-
the underlying structure
Pronunciation
US
UK
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fabric'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing fabric
Sula
Nel Wright and Sula Peace are close friends growing up in a town called The Bottom, but tragedy and a terrible secret send their lives in different directions.
"Familiar Places"
Learn these words from the expository nonfiction by Elizabeth Boylan (Inside: Level A, Unit 1). Here are our links to the selections of "Finding Your Own Place": Growing Together; When I Grow Up, Kids Like Me, Familiar Places, Call Me Maria Here are our links to the units of Level A: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8 Here are our links to the Inside books: Level A, Level B, Level C Here is our link to a list of academic vocabulary for Inside: Academic Vocabulary
Messenger
In the third book of The Giver Quartet, award-winning author Lois Lowry tells the story of Matty, who risks his life to save his village. Along the way, Matty receives guidance from Leader (Jonas from The Giver) and reunites with Kira (from Gathering Blue).