1. fibre(n = noun.substance) fiber - a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn;
is a kind of material, stuff
has particulars: beard, byssus, bristle, glass fiber, glass fibre, optical fiber, optical fibre, nerve fiber, nerve fibre, spindle, loofa, loofah, loufah sponge, luffa, cantala, cebu maguey, manila maguey, bassine, coir, raffia, string, fibril, filament, strand, lint, man-made fiber, synthetic fiber, natural fiber, natural fibre, oakum, raveling, ravelling
2. fibre(n = noun.body) fiber - any of several elongated, threadlike cells (especially a muscle fiber or a nerve fiber);
is a kind of cell
has particulars: muscle cell, muscle fiber, muscle fibre, nerve fiber, nerve fibre
3. fibre(n = noun.attribute) character, fiber - the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; "education has for its object the formation of character"
is a kind of trait
is a part of personality
has parts: thoughtfulness, responsibility, responsibleness, integrity
has particulars: spirit
4. fibre(n = noun.artifact) fiber, vulcanized fiber - a leatherlike material made by compressing layers of paper or cloth;
is a kind of cloth, fabric, material, textile
1. One of the delicate, threadlike portions of which the tissues of plants and animals are in part constituted; as, the fiber of flax or of muscle. [1913 Webster]
2. Any fine, slender thread, or threadlike substance; as, a fiber of spun glass; especially, one of the slender rootlets of a plant. [1913 Webster]
3. the inherent complex of attributes that determine a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions; sinew; strength; toughness; as, a man of real fiber. [1913 Webster]
"Yet had no fibers in him, nor no force." [1913 Webster]
4. A general name for the raw material, such as cotton, flax, hemp, etc., used in textile manufactures. [1913 Webster]
5. that portion of food composed of carbohydrates which are completely or partly indigestible, such as cellulose or pectin; it may be in an insoluble or a soluble form. It provides bulk to the solid waste and stimulates peristalsis in the intestine. It is found especially in grains, fruits, and vegetables. There is some medical evidence which indicates that diets high in fiber reduce the risk of colon cancer and reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. It is also called
6. a leatherlike material made by compressing layers of paper or cloth. [WordNet 1.5]
Same as fiber. [WordNet 1.5]
fibre, n. (US fiber)
1 Biol. any of the threads or filaments forming animal or vegetable tissue and textile substances.
2 a piece of glass in the form of a thread.
3 a a substance formed of fibres. b a substance that can be spun, woven, or felted.
4 the structure, grain, or character of something (lacks moral fibre).
5 dietary material that is resistant to the action of digestive enzymes; roughage.
Idiom:
fibre optics optics employing thin glass fibres, usu. for the transmission of light, esp. modulated to carry signals.
Derivative:
fibred adj. (also in comb.). fibreless adj. fibriform adj.
Etymology:
ME f. F f. L fibra
animal fibre, fibre bundle, fibre optic cable, fibre optics, glass fibre, muscle fibre, natural fibre, nerve fibre, optical fibre, plant fibre, staple fibre, tampico fibre