Fabric
/ˈfæb.rɪk/noun
Cloth or material made by weaving or knitting fibers; also the basic structure or framework of something.
Did you know?Fabric ultimately traces back to Latin *faber*, meaning “craftsman” or “smith,” the same root behind *fabricate*—so the word carries the ancient idea of something deliberately forged, not just made.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“to put, place, set”
Latin
Latin
faber
“craftsman, smith”
Latin
Latin
fabrica
“workshop, craft, skillful production”
Old French
Old French
fabrique
“construction, building, structure”
Middle English
English
fabrik
“building, structure; later cloth manufacture”
Modern English
English
fabric
“cloth material; the structure or framework of something”