webbing

American  

[web-ing] / ˈwɛb ɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong, woven material of hemp, cotton, or jute, in bands of various widths, used for belts, carrying straps, harness, etc.

2. such woven bands nailed on furniture under springs or upholstery, for support.

3. Zoology. the membrane forming a web or webs.

4. something resembling this, as the leather thongs or piece connecting the sections for the thumb and forefinger in a baseball glove or mitt.

5. any material or part formed from interlaced threads, thongs, branches, etc., or having a latticelike appearance, as the face of a tennis racket.

6. Chiefly Eastern New England Older Use. webbings, the reins or lines for controlling a horse or team of horses.

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webbing British  

/ ˈwɛbɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong fabric of hemp, cotton, jute, etc, woven in strips and used under springs in upholstery or for straps, etc

2. the skin that unites the digits of a webbed foot

3. anything that forms a web

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Etymology

Origin of webbing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at web, -ing ¹

Explanation

Webbing can refer to the stretchy skin between a frog's fingers that helps it glide through water, or the tough fabric in your backpack straps that keeps everything secure. In nature, webbing is the thin, elastic skin between the toes of animals like ducks and frogs, giving them the ability to swim like pros. When it comes to man-made materials, webbing is a strong, woven material used by humans in everything from seatbelts to camping gear. This man-made webbing provides the strength and flexibility needed to keep things safely in place, just like nature's version does for swimming animals.

Example Sentences

B-net is temporary and closer to webbing that’s aimed at absorbing the kinetic energy of a falling skier.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

To hold the cane webbing in place, add wood glue and a reed spline — a continuous strip of material that fills the gap.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

The most likely sources of the spooky-looking webbing are baby spiders who use updraft winds to disperse themselves after hatching, according to scientists.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2023

When baby spiders are born, they produce silk webbing that is light enough to be picked up by the wind, allowing them to float away and land elsewhere, colonizing new habitats.

From Washington Times • Oct. 5, 2023

It spins on its hilt, slicing me free from the webbing.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

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