Manila hemp
- noun
- /məˈnɪlə hɛmp/
:
fibra de abacá
- The ropes on the old sailing vessel were made of Manila hemp, prized for its durability.
Examples
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She bought a basket woven from Manila hemp at the local market.
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Many specialty papers use Manila hemp fibers because of their strength.
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The Manila hemp fibers are incredibly strong.
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Is Manila hemp used in making paper?
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The ropes on the old sailing vessel were made of Manila hemp, prized for its durability.
-
Many specialty papers use Manila hemp fibers because of their strength.
-
She bought a basket woven from Manila hemp at the local market.
Synonyms
1
9.9
Strong fiber from the leaf stalks of a Philippine banana plant used for ropes and paper
A strong natural fiber from the abaca plant that people use to make ropes
How Coarse
- Philippine
- Specialized
2
7.7
2
6.2
115
1.0
237
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound signals a material ('hemp') associated with a place ('Manila'), so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer it names a strong fiber from Manila used for ropes or textiles. However, the term is historically somewhat misleading—'Manila hemp' refers specifically to abacá rather than true hemp—so the precise botanical/technical meaning is not fully predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Manila hemp originally meant the strong 'fiber' made from the abaca plant and shipped from Manila. Because this fiber was prized for making 'rope', baskets and paper, the name today means that strong, flexible 'fiber'.