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wire cloth

wire cloth

1 7.0
A woven metal mesh used for filters or screens
  • noun
  • /waɪər klɔθ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : malla metálica
  • The engineer used wire cloth to create a durable filtering system for the factory.

Examples

  • To build the rabbit hutch, we covered the frame with wire cloth to keep the pets safe.

  • In addition, water pressures, system stresses, and careless handling can cause abrasions or tears in the wire cloth.

    Academic text (1996)
  • We bought wire cloth to repair the old sieve in the kitchen.

Synonyms

mesh
vswire cloth
31 3.7

A net of wire or thread that has many open holes

is a metal woven fabric used for sieves screens and industrial purposes
chicken wire
vswire cloth
7 3.4

A light, flexible wire mesh with small six-sided holes used to make fences for chickens and gardens

is heavier and more tightly woven for industrial sieving than this lightweight fencing product
wirework
vswire cloth
5.8

A net of thin wires used for fences or decoration

is heavier duty made for industrial sieving and screening
meshing
vswire cloth
4.3

A fabric of string or wire with many small holes

is a tightly woven metal fabric used for sieves and industrial screens

Surface Forms

wire cloth singular
wire cloths plural

Morphology

wire + cloth

The meaning 'fabric woven from metallic wires' is directly derivable from combining 'wire' (thin metal strand) and 'cloth' (textile): a cloth made of wire. This follows a regular noun–noun compounding pattern common across languages and allows a B1 learner who knows both constituents to infer the form and likely uses (sieves, screens) without prior exposure.

Etymology

Wire cloth is a simple name: it is cloth made by weaving thin metal wire so it looks like a fabric. Because this metal fabric forms a mesh that keeps out or lets through small bits, people use it 'to filter', 'to screen', or to reinforce surfaces, so the name fits what it does today.