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plant fiber

plant fiber

3.5
Long thin parts of plants used to make cloth, rope and to help the body use food when eaten
  • noun
  • /plænt ˈfaɪbər/
  • US
translation icon : fibra vegetal
  • She chews the surrounding wood and plant fibers to make a paper like pulp.
  • wood and plant fibers
  • made of plant fibers

Examples

  • It’s the plant fiber he used for the felt.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • One of these bundles was wrapped in a once brightly patterned polyester cloth, cinched at the top with plant fibers (Fig. 18).

    Academic text (2009)
  • There are minute bits of plant fiber in the cup.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • It was made of a plant fiber; that much was plain.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Small holes pierced along the edges carry a fringe of plant fibers similar to those that form the costume covering the whole body of the masquerader.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Plant fiber, cloth, red lead pigment; 15cm x 45.3cm x 45.3cm (6" x 17 3/4" x 17 3/4") Museum purchase.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The voluminous crop and the lower esophagus have together become the main digestive organs, where microbes ferment plant fiber under constant temperature and acidity.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Two large male figures, one with a sweatshirt and the other carrying a bow and arrow made of plant fibers, flank a smaller female figure in a guard's coat and a child-sized figure wearing a one-piece baby garment, booties, and a hat.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Plant fiber is often used to create sustainable textiles that are better for the environment.

  • Many people include plant fiber in their diet to improve digestion and promote gut health.

Antonyms

synthetic fiber
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A fiber made using chemicals, not from plants or animals

How Useful

healing herb
1 3.4
jellyleaf
  • Australian
9.9
forage
4 4.4
plant fiber
  • US
3.5
weed
187 1.0

Surface Forms

plant fiber singular
plant fibers plural
plantfibres plural
plantfibre singular

Morphology

plant + fiber

The meaning 'fibers derived from plants' is directly and compositionally derivable from combining 'plant' (a photosynthetic organism) with 'fiber' (a slender filament), i.e. fibers that come from plants. This noun+noun compounding is a common, cross-linguistically transparent pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Plant fiber comes from the simple image of thin threads taken from a plant, such as cotton, hemp or jute, which can be spun into cloth or rope. So plant fiber means a natural 'material' made from plant fiber and used for clothes, ropes, or as 'dietary fiber' in food.