fabric
B2Neutral to formal. The core meaning is used in everyday, commercial, and technical contexts. The extended meaning is common in academic and metaphorical usage.
Definition
Meaning
Cloth or textile material produced by weaving, knitting, or felting fibres together.
The underlying structure, framework, or essential character of something, such as a society, building, or system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word's meaning spectrum moves from the literal, physical material to a metaphorical structure. In metaphorical use, it implies interconnectedness and essential integrity (e.g., 'social fabric').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very minor. British English may use 'material' more frequently for clothing contexts ('a lovely material'), while 'fabric' is slightly more common in American English for the same. Both accept the term fully.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. The metaphorical sense is equally strong and common.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties with negligible difference.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the fabric of [ABSTRACT NOUN: society/reality/life]made of/from [MATERIAL] fabric[ADJECTIVE] fabricVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The fabric of society/reality”
- “Tear/rip apart the social fabric”
- “Woven into the very fabric of something”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In retail: 'We source sustainable fabrics from certified suppliers.'
Academic
In social sciences: 'The policy reforms threatened the existing social fabric.'
Everyday
'I need to buy some fabric to make new curtains.'
Technical
In engineering: 'The composite fabric is layered for increased tensile strength.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - not standard as a verb.
American English
- N/A - not standard as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - the adjectival form is 'fabric' used attributively (e.g., fabric conditioners).
American English
- N/A - the adjectival form is 'fabric' used attributively (e.g., fabric softeners).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This shirt is made from soft fabric.
- She bought blue fabric to make a dress.
- The shop sells many different types of fabric.
- We need a durable fabric for the sofa.
- The scandal damaged the fabric of local trust.
- This technical fabric wicks moisture away from the body.
- Their research examines how migration alters the urban fabric.
- The novel unravels the very fabric of the protagonist's perceived reality.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a FABRIC store where you buy cloth to make a BRIC(k) wall. The cloth is the material, the wall is the structure → fabric can mean both material and underlying structure.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY/REALITY IS A FABRIC (woven, can be torn, mended, has a texture).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating the metaphorical 'fabric of society' as 'ткань общества' without context, as it can sound overly literal. 'Структура общества' or 'основа общества' are often better.
- Do not confuse with 'factory' (фабрика).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'fabric' as a countable noun for one item of clothing ('I bought a fabric' is wrong; 'I bought a piece of fabric' or 'I bought some fabric' is correct).
- Confusing 'fabric' with 'textile' in highly technical contexts where 'textile' is the industry term.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'fabric' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Fabric' and 'cloth' are often interchangeable for woven material. 'Fabric' is slightly more formal/technical. 'Material' is broader and can include non-woven substances (e.g., building materials). In fashion/sewing contexts, all three are used.
No, 'fabric' is not a standard verb in modern English. The related verb is 'fabricate', which primarily means 'to invent or construct', often with a negative connotation of falsification.
Yes, extremely common, especially in phrases like 'social fabric', 'fabric of society/life/reality'. It is a standard metaphor in academic, journalistic, and literary English.
It is pronounced /ˈfæb.rɪk/ in both British and American English. The stress is on the first syllable: FAB-ric.