fabric

fabric — noun

1. A soft material that people turn into clothes, curtains, and covers for furnitur

1.nounA2
Definition

A soft material that people turn into clothes, curtains, and covers for furniture by sewing.

Example

Sora chose a soft cotton fabric for his daughter's summer dress.

cotton / wool / silk fabric — common collocations for material type

The sofa was reupholstered with a dark grey wool fabric that felt warm.

Common collocations
  • cotton fabric
  • wool fabric
  • silk fabric
  • linen fabric
  • synthetic fabric
  • lightweight fabric
  • sturdy fabric
  • patterned fabric
Synonyms
  • cloth

    A more general term; 'cloth' often suggests a finished piece ready for use, while 'fabric' can include unfinished material.

  • material

    Broader — can refer to any substance, not just textiles; less specific than 'fabric'.

  • textile

    More formal or technical; often used in industry contexts ('textile factory', 'textile industry').

Grammar Patterns

fabric (uncountable) for general material

a + adjective + fabric (countable) for a specific type

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the material in general ('a roll of fabric', 'made of fabric'). Countable when specifying a particular type or kind ('a lightweight cotton fabric', 'many different fabrics').

Common Mistakes

I bought a fabric for my project.
I bought some fabric for my project.
When the type is not specified, use the uncountable form without an article.
She picked a fabric of cotton.
She picked a cotton fabric.
In natural English, the material type comes before 'fabric' as a modifier, not after with 'of'.

2. The basic framework of a system, organisation, society, or building, formed by t

2.nounB2
Definition

The basic framework of a system, organisation, society, or building, formed by the essential connections that hold it together and allow it to function.

Example

The scandal threatened to tear apart the social fabric of the small fishing village.

social / moral / political fabric — common adjectival collocates

Mira's research explored how digital communication reshapes the fabric of modern family relationships.

Common collocations
  • social fabric
  • moral fabric
  • political fabric
  • cultural fabric
  • the very fabric of
  • the fabric of society
  • the fabric of the universe
  • the fabric of the building
Synonyms
  • framework

    More concrete — suggests a visible or clearly defined structure; less metaphorical than 'fabric'.

  • structure

    More general — 'fabric' emphasises the interconnected, woven quality; 'structure' is neutral.

  • makeup

    More informal — describes what something consists of rather than how its parts connect.

Antonyms
  • chaos

    The opposite of an ordered, connected structure.

Grammar Patterns

the + adjective + fabric of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Almost always used with the definite article 'the'. Frequently followed by 'of' plus a noun ('the fabric of society', 'the fabric of the universe'). The adjective 'social', 'moral', 'political', 'cultural', or 'economic' often precedes it. When referring to a physical building, it means the walls, roof, and structural core rather than decorations or furniture.

Common Mistakes

Fabric of society is fragile.
The fabric of society is fragile.
Always use the definite article 'the' before 'fabric' in this sense.
The social fabric broken.
The social fabric was torn / damaged / weakened.
This sense typically pairs with verbs like 'tear', 'damage', 'weaken', 'preserve', or 'strengthen', not 'break'.
Idioms

the fabric of society

idiom

The basic systems, relationships, and customs that hold a society together and allow it to function.

When trust between neighbours disappears, the fabric of society begins to weaken.

Good public schools help to strengthen the fabric of society by bringing different families together.

the very fabric of something

idiom

The most essential and basic parts or structures of something, without which it would no longer be what it is.

Lies and dishonesty can destroy the very fabric of a friendship over time.

The invention of the internet changed the very fabric of how people share information.

Word family

  • fabrics
    noun (plural)A2
  • fabricate
    verbB2
  • fabrication
    nounC1
  • fabricated
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something used to make clothes or soft furnishings, but they differ in scope and context. 'Fabric' (sense 1) is the most versatile everyday term — it covers woven, knitted, and non-woven materials for sewing and upholstery. 'Cloth' is older and often implies a finished piece ready for use ('a dish cloth', 'a cloth bag'), whereas 'fabric' can refer to rolls of unprocessed material. 'Material' is the broadest of the four and can mean any substance (wood, plastic, metal), so using it when you specifically mean a textile can be vague. 'Textile' is the most formal and technical — it appears in industry terms ('textile mill', 'textile worker') but sounds unusual in casual conversation ('I bought some nice textile' is wrong — use 'fabric' instead). If you are shopping for dressmaking supplies, 'fabric' or 'cloth' are both natural; if you are describing a factory process, 'textile' fits best.

cloth ↗material ↗textile ↗fabric ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • fabric store
  • fabric shop
  • fabric sample

Phrases

Prepositions

  • fabric of [something] — works across both senses ('the cotton fabric of the dress', 'the fabric of society')

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'fabric' entered English from French 'fabrique' in the 1400s, originally meaning a 'building' or 'constructed thing'. It traces back to Latin 'fabrica', meaning 'workshop, art, craft', from 'faber' ('craftsman, maker'). The sense of 'woven cloth' developed in the 1700s, as cloth was seen as something 'constructed' from threads. The metaphorical sense of 'the fabric of society' emerged in the 1800s, treating society as something built or woven together.