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Glite Dictionary
🧵 A strong fiber 🌱 A banana plant
abaca

abaca

1 9.9
Strong fiber from the leaf stalks of a Philippine banana plant used for ropes and paper
  • noun
  • /əˈbɑːkə/
  • Philippine
translation icon : fibra de abacá
  • Among the largest exporters of abaca cloth or abaca fabric, how do they not know what to do with abaca fabric?

Examples

  • The artisan crafted a stylish bag from abaca fibers, showcasing its versatility.

  • Yes, the same abaca that makes rope is the same fibre used to make these precious fabrics.

  • Unlike staple crops in Korea and Taiwan, the export crops cultivated in the Philippines were abaca, sugar, coconuts, and tobacco, which had no spillover effects on subsistence agriculture.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Many producers in the Philippines harvest abaca for its valuable fiber used in paper products.

  • Rope made from abaca is known for its strength and durability, making it ideal for use in marine applications.

Synonyms

Manila hemp
vsabaca
7.2

A strong flexible fiber from the abaca plant used to make rope and paper

is the traditional botanical name for the same fiber
Manilla hemp
vsabaca
  • Philippine
7.4

A strong natural fiber from the abaca plant that people use to make ropes

is a variant spelling used for the same strong fiber

How Strong

nylon
52 3.1
abaca
  • Philippine
1 9.9
jute
2 6.2
linen
111 1.0
cotton
115 1.0

Surface Forms

abaca singular
abacas plural

Etymology

Abaca comes from the Philippine word abaka meaning 'banana-like plant', and the Spanish abacá named the tough fibre taken from its leaf stalks. So abaca now means the strong, natural fibre (often called 'Manila hemp') used for ropes, textiles, and paper.