fiber

[ fahy-ber ]

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

fiber

/ ˈfaɪbə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of fibre

fiber

/ 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.

Other Words From

• fiber·less adjective
• inter·fiber adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fiber¹

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

Example Sentences

This sounds like sugar's keeping us fed, but added sugars are actually empty calories – they are bereft of any nutrients like vitamins or fibers.

From Salon

When you train your muscles, or get injured, these satellite cells are activated to form new muscle fibers.

From Science Daily

Their larvae swim and spread out in the water, colonizing solid surfaces and attaching themselves with fibers.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s made from soft mohair, which stays cool in summer and warm in winter, and moisture-wicking “Drynamix” fiber to keep your feet dry, even on the sweatiest adventures.

From Los Angeles Times

“Climate change is threatening water resources, increasing challenges to food and fiber production, and compromising human health in the Southwest through drought, wildfire, intense precipitation, sea level rise, and marine heat waves,” Declet-Barreto said.

From Salon

Related Words

• grain
• thread
• tissue