fiber

noun fi·ber \ ˈfī-bər \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of fiber

1 : a thread or a structure or object resembling a thread: such as

a (1) : a slender root (as of a grass)

(2) : an elongated tapering thick-walled plant cell void at maturity that imparts elasticity, flexibility, and tensile strength

b (1) : a strand of nerve tissue : axon, dendrite

(2) : one of the filaments composing most of the intercellular matrix of connective tissue

(3) : one of the elongated contractile cells of muscle tissue

c : a slender and greatly elongated natural or synthetic filament (as of wool, cotton, asbestos, gold, glass, or rayon) typically capable of being spun into yarn

d : mostly indigestible material in food (such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables) that stimulates the intestine to peristalsis and promotes elimination of waste from the large intestine : bulk, roughage

dietary fiber

trying to get more fiber in her diet

2 : material made of fibers; especially : vulcanized fiber

3 a : an element that gives texture or substance

b : basic toughness : strength, fortitude

c : essential structure or character

the very fiber of a person's being

—

fibered

play \ˈfī-bərd\ adjective

See fiber defined for English-language learners

See fiber defined for kids

Examples of fiber in a Sentence

It's important to get enough fiber in your diet.
What foods do you recommend as good sources of fiber?
foods that are high in fiber
The fabric is made from a mix of synthetic fibers.
The natural fibers allow the fabric to breathe.
The paper is made from both cotton and wood fiber.
Nylon is a very strong man-made fiber.
The police examined hair and bits of fiber found in the victim's car.

Recent Examples of fiber from the Web

Here, light coming from the various mirrors is combined and fiddled with before finally traveling down a fiber-optic cable to reach the image-capturing sensors in the next room.

— scott k. johnson, Ars Technica, "Building the world’s highest-resolution telescope," 9 July 2018
In a first for the city, a fiber-optic system will connect 13 intersections so that all of the signals will be linked to communicate together and enhance traffic flow.

— thomas jewell, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Heights OKs $817,000 for Mayfield Road signal upgrade: City Council recap," 4 Apr. 2018
Electricians needed to learn about fiber-optic cables, and so on.

— andrea rumbaugh, Houston Chronicle, "Facebook providing scholarships for Houstonians to attend coding boot camp," 3 Apr. 2018
One cookie contains 800 calories, 44 grams of fat, 97 grams of carb with just 3 as fiber, 8 grams of protein, and 770 mg of sodium.

— Health.com, "The 4 Healthiest Menu Items at Panera Bread (Plus 3 Things to Avoid)," 13 July 2018
Palmisano works in fiber, book arts, printmaking and painting and her work has been on view in various galleries in town.

— charlotteobserver, "What’s up this week in Charlotte’s visual arts?," 10 July 2018
High-fiber, whole-grain carb sources like oats, brown rice, and skin-on potatoes take longer to digest, which keeps your metabolism revved and helps prevent body fat.

— carly graf, Outside Online, "The Foods You Should Be Eating at Every Age," 28 June 2018
Kumquats are rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, and they can be made into jellies or eaten straight from the tree after washing the outer skin.

— Houston Chronicle, "Can banana aging be foiled?," 26 June 2018
The two artists collaborate to create vibrant art by using hand weaving techniques and a collection of fibers in a mixture of textures, to design wall hangings inspired by nature.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Volunteers glean fruit to donate to food banks," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fiber.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fiber

Middle French fibre, from Latin fibra

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1607

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

fiber Synonyms

Other Textiles Terms

batt, bias, brocade, duck, flock, lawn, toile

FIBER Defined for English Language Learners

fiber

noun

Definition of fiber for English Language Learners

: plant material that cannot be digested but that helps you to digest other food
: a thin thread of natural or artificial material that can be used to make cloth, paper, etc.
: material (such as cloth) that is made from thin threads : something made of fibers