Fibers: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe thin, thread-like structures, often in the context of natural or synthetic materials. Commonly found in textiles, dietary content, and plants.

• The shirt is made of natural fibers like cotton and linen.
• Eating foods rich in fibers can improve your digestion.
• The microscope revealed tiny fibers in the plant tissue.

Often used in scientific or technical contexts to describe very thin, flexible structures, such as those in light bulbs, 3D printing, or biological structures like muscle tissue.

• The filament in the light bulb broke, so it needs to be replaced.
• 3D printers use filaments made of different materials to create objects.
• Muscle filaments contract and expand to produce movement.

Typically refers to single pieces of thread, hair, or material. Can be used both literally and metaphorically.

• She found a strand of hair on her sweater.
• The necklace is made of several strands of pearls.
• He tried to piece together a strand of the story from various clues.

Commonly used in sewing and textiles to describe the thin string used to stitch fabric together. Also used metaphorically to describe ongoing narratives or discussions, especially online.

• She matched the thread color to the fabric perfectly.
• He followed the conversation thread on the forum to understand the issue.

Fibers are long, thin, and flexible threadlike structures found in natural and synthetic materials. They are often used when discussing materials science, textiles, biology (e.g., muscle fibers), and nutrition (e.g., dietary fibers).

• Cotton fibers are commonly used in clothing.
• A diet rich in fibers is good for digestion.
• Scientists are studying muscle fibers to understand how they work.

Cells are the smallest structural and functional units of organisms. Discussed primarily in biological and medical contexts, they represent the basic building blocks of life.

• Human cells are incredibly complex.
• Biologists examine plant cells under a microscope.
• Cancer cells can grow uncontrollably.

Strands refer to single thin lengths of something, often used in everyday language to describe hair, wire, or thread. It is also used metaphorically to describe components in broader contexts.

• She has a few gray strands of hair.
• A strand of wire was sticking out.
• Various strands of DNA were analyzed.

Filaments are long, threadlike structures that are thinner and more delicate than typical fibers. Commonly used in scientific, industrial, and biological contexts, particularly when discussing fine structures like those in lighting or the cytoskeleton of cells.

• The light bulb contains a tungsten filament.
• Actin filaments are part of the cytoskeleton.
• Microfilaments play a role in cellular movement.