abaca

[ ab-uh-kah, ah-buh- ]

noun

1. a Philippine plant, Musa textilis.
2. the fiber of this plant, used in making rope, fabrics, etc.

abaca

/ ˈæbəkə /

noun

1. a Philippine plant, Musa textilis, related to the banana: family Musaceae. Its leafstalks are the source of Manila hemp
2. another name for Manila hemp

Word History and Origins

Origin of abaca¹

1810–20; < Spanish < Tagalog abaká

Word History and Origins

Origin of abaca¹

via Spanish from Tagalog abaká

Example Sentences

In the living room, there’s a graphic abaca rug in the shape of a slithering snake.

From New York Times

With its slightly prickly fibers, the abaca rug from Belgian firm Limited Edition adds another note of coarseness, while the custom velvet sofa and bronze coffee table ooze sensual luxury.

From Wall Street Journal

Balangiga, a small coastal town about 600 miles southeast of Manila, was important for its trade in abaca, a kind of hemp used in making rope and ship’s rigging.

From New York Times

From a helicopter, “we saw the devastation of coconuts, abaca and the forests. There are lots of houses without roofs,” Lorenzana said by text message.

From Washington Times

The tropical was in jellyfish motifs, tropical fruit prints, stunning cobalt blue dyes and in an inventive linen material that mixed abaca - woven wild banana - with pineapple yarns.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• bhang
• cannabis
• fiber
• flax
• hashish
• jute
• marijuana