fibril

[ fahy-bruhl, fib-ruhl ]

noun

1. a small or fine fiber or filament.
2. Botany. any of the delicate hairs on the young roots of some plants.
3. Cell Biology. any threadlike structure or filament.

fibril

/ ˈfaɪbrɪl; fɪ-; faɪˈbrɪlə /

noun

1. a small fibre or part of a fibre
2. biology a threadlike structure, such as a root hair or a thread of muscle tissue

fibril

/ fī′brəl,fĭb′rəl /

1. Any of various threadlike fibers or filaments that are constituent parts of a cell or larger structure. Cellulose fibrils are the main component of cell walls in plants. Fibrils make up the contractile part of striated muscle fiber in the body.

Derived Forms

• fiˈbrilliˌform, adjective
• ˈfibrilar, adjective

Other Words From

• fibril·lar adjective
• fibril·lose adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fibril¹

1655–65; < New Latin fibrilla, equivalent to Latin fibr ( a ) fiber + -illa diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of fibril¹

C17: from New Latin fibrilla a little fibre

Example Sentences

They boiled them for several hours to form long, thin fibrils.

From Science Daily

Writing last month in the scientific journal National Science Review, the team details their breakthrough in adhesion by designing the shape-memory polymer material in the shape of hair-like fibrils.

From Science Daily

These cross-β fibril assemblies are also useful building blocks within designer biomaterials for medical applications, but their resemblance to their amyloid beta cousins, whose tangles are a symptom of neurodegenerative disease, is concerning.

From Science Daily

These fibrils further assemble into networks that form the scaffolds for our tissues.

From Science Daily

In addition, the scientists plan to investigate whether they can manufacture the protein fibril sponges out of other protein-rich byproducts or waste products from the food industry.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• cord
• cotton
• fiber
• filament
• hair
• ribbon
• strand
• string
• wire
• wool
• yarn