fibre
gb/fˈaɪbɚ/ us/fˈaɪbɚ/
B1
English
~ 9900
rost, élelmi rost, szál, erkölcsi tartás, jellemerő, optikai szál
NOUN
B1
1
rost
B1
élelmi rost
B2
Usage pattern:
high in fibre; fibre in [food]
Wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread.
A teljes kiőrlésű kenyér több rostot tartalmaz, mint a fehér kenyér.
Eating enough fibre can help prevent constipation.
Az elegendő rost fogyasztása segíthet megelőzni a székrekedést.
The doctor told him to increase his fibre intake by eating more fruit and vegetables.
This cereal is specially made to be high in fibre.
Legumes are an excellent source of dietary fibre.
Learner examples
Fruit and vegetables have a lot of fibre.
A gyümölcsökben és a zöldségekben sok rost van.
You should eat more fibre if you are constipated.
Több rostot kellene enned, ha székrekedésed van.
This cereal is high in fibre, so it is good for your stomach.
Brown rice has more fibre than white rice.
My doctor says I need more fibre in my diet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat 'fibre' as countable in this sense and say *'many fibres' when talking about food. For nutrition, use it as an uncountable noun: 'a lot of fibre', 'enough fibre', 'more fibre'. Another confusion is spelling: British English uses 'fibre', American English uses 'fiber'.
Meaning
indigestible plant material in food
Collocations
dietary fibre
|high in fibre
|fibre intake
|high-fibre diet
|soluble fibre
|insoluble fibre
Synonyms
roughage (More technical or old-fashioned; mainly used in medical or nutrition contexts, less common in everyday speech than 'fibre'.)
Antonyms
refined food (Refined foods, such as white bread or sugar, usually have most of their fibre removed, so they are the opposite of fibre-rich foods.)
Themes
health
|food
|biology
|food_drink
Definition
Parts of plant food that your body cannot fully digest, which help you go to the toilet regularly and keep your stomach healthy.
Plant-based food components, mainly complex carbohydrates, that are not fully digested but help the intestines work and keep the bowels healthy.
NOUN
B1
2
szál
B1
Usage pattern:
[type] fibre; fibres of [material]
The dress is made from a blend of natural and synthetic fibres.
A ruha természetes és szintetikus szálak keverékéből készült.
Carbon fibre is both strong and very light.
A szénszál erős és nagyon könnyű.
They examined the fabric under a microscope and could see the individual fibres.
The company specialises in high-performance glass fibres for industry.
Cotton fibres are twisted together to make thread.
Learner examples
Wool comes in short, soft fibres.
A gyapjú rövid, puha szálakból áll.
They use glass fibres to make this strong plastic.
Ennek az erős műanyagnak az elkészítéséhez üvegszálakat használnak.
The cloth is made from very fine fibres.
The factory makes synthetic fibres for clothing.
Cotton fibres are used to make T‑shirts.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with 'fibre' in food. In clothing or materials, 'fibre' talks about the thin strands that make the material, not nutrition. Pay attention to words like 'cotton', 'wool', or 'carbon', which signal the textile/material sense.
Meaning
thin strands used for textiles
Collocations
cotton fibre
|natural fibre
|synthetic fibre
|glass fibre
|carbon fibre
|wool fibre
Synonyms
strand (A general word for a long thin piece of something; 'fibre' is more specific to materials science and textiles.)
Antonyms
solid (A solid piece of material is not divided into thin strands; in materials, a solid block contrasts with fibrous strands.)
Themes
materials
|clothing
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very thin piece of material, like cotton or plastic, that can be used to make thread, cloth, or other products.
A thin, threadlike strand of natural or synthetic material that can be spun into yarn, woven into fabric, or used to strengthen products.
B2
TECHNICAL
3
rost
B2
Usage pattern:
[type] fibre; fibres in [tissue]
Regular training increases the size of individual muscle fibres.
A rendszeres edzés növeli az egyes izomrostok méretét.
Damage to the nerve fibres can lead to loss of sensation.
Az idegrostok károsodása érzéskieséshez vezethet.
The disease affects the fast-twitch fibres more than the slow-twitch fibres.
Microscopic images showed that the heart muscle fibres were badly scarred.
Each muscle is made up of thousands of tiny fibres.
Learner examples
Your muscles are made of many small fibres.
Az izmaid sok apró rostból állnak.
Some sports use fast muscle fibres more than slow ones.
Egyes sportok jobban igénybe veszik a gyors izomrostokat, mint a lassúakat.
The doctor said the nerve fibres in his arm were damaged.
They looked at the muscle fibres under a microscope.
This illness hurts the fibres in the heart.
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this sense with material fibres because both are 'thin strands'. In biology, 'fibre' usually appears with words like 'muscle', 'nerve', or 'cardiac'. In nutrition, it appears with foods; in textiles, with materials like cotton or carbon.
Meaning
thin muscle or nerve structure
Collocations
muscle fibre
|nerve fibre
|fast-twitch fibre
|cardiac muscle fibres
|fibres in the brain
Synonyms
filament (A more technical term used in biology and microscopy for very thin, threadlike structures; often overlaps with 'fibre' in scientific writing.)
Antonyms
whole muscle (A whole muscle is the complete organ, in contrast to the many small fibres that make it up.)
Themes
biology
|medicine
|science
|body
|health
Definition
A long, thin part of body tissue, such as in muscles or nerves.
A thin, elongated cell or cell-like structure in body tissue, especially in muscles or nerves.
NOUN
C1
4
jellemerő
C1
Usage pattern:
have the fibre to [verb]; show moral fibre
She showed real moral fibre when she reported the corruption.
Valódi erkölcsi tartásról tett tanúbizonyságot, amikor bejelentette a korrupciót.
The job requires someone with the fibre to make tough decisions.
A munkához olyan ember kell, akiben megvan a tartás ahhoz, hogy nehéz döntéseket hozzon.
His critics say he lacks the fibre to stand up to powerful interests.
The crisis tested the fibre of everyone in the organisation.
They admired her fibre in continuing the campaign despite threats.
Learner examples
He did not have the moral fibre to say no.
Nem volt meg benne az erkölcsi tartás ahhoz, hogy nemet mondjon.
She showed great moral fibre when she told the truth.
Nagy erkölcsi tartást mutatott, amikor elmondta az igazat.
The leader needs strong moral fibre in hard times.
The exam will test your mental fibre as well as your knowledge.
They respected her fibre when she refused to cheat.
Common mistake:
Learners may wrongly connect this sense to physical fibres. Here, 'fibre' is abstract and almost always used in phrases like 'moral fibre' or 'have the fibre to…'. Do not use it to talk about food or clothes.
Meaning
inner moral strength and courage
Collocations
moral fibre
|inner fibre
|lack of fibre
|show some fibre
|strength of fibre
Synonyms
backbone (Informal and slightly figurative; stresses courage and determination in a similar way to 'moral fibre'.)
Antonyms
cowardice (Refers to a lack of courage and moral strength, the opposite of having strong moral fibre.)
Themes
personality
|morality
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The strong part of your character that helps you do the right thing, even when it is hard or scary.
Strength of character and moral courage that allows someone to do what is right, especially in difficult situations.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
optikai szál
B2
Usage pattern:
fibre network; fibre to [place]
The company is investing heavily in new fibre networks.
A vállalat jelentős összegeket fektet új optikai hálózatokba.
Our neighbourhood is finally getting fibre broadband.
A környékünkön végre bevezetik az optikai internetet.
Data is transmitted through optical fibres at extremely high speeds.
The engineers laid several kilometres of fibre along the railway line.
Businesses in the area depend on the main fibre connection to stay online.
Learner examples
We now have fast internet through a fibre cable.
Most már gyors internetünk van optikai kábelen keresztül.
The city is building a new fibre network.
A város új optikai hálózatot épít.
Fibre broadband is faster than old copper cables.
Light moves through the fibre to carry data.
They put fibre in the ground to improve the internet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fibre broadband' with 'Wi‑Fi' or 'wireless'. Fibre is the physical cable in the ground or building; Wi‑Fi is the wireless signal from a router inside your home.
Meaning
thin glass/plastic for data signals
Collocations
optical fibre
|fibre-optic cable
|fibre network
|fibre broadband
|fibre infrastructure
|fibre connection
Synonyms
fibre-optic cable (Refers to the whole cable containing one or many fibres; 'fibre' focuses on the individual strands inside it.)
Antonyms
wireless (Wireless communication sends signals through the air, contrasting with data sent through physical fibre cables.)
Themes
technology
|telecommunications
|internet
|communication
Definition
A very thin piece of glass or plastic that carries light so that internet or phone signals can travel through it.
A very thin strand of glass or plastic used to carry light signals for transmitting data and telecommunication.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fibre
IPA
GB/fˈaɪbɚ/
US/fˈaɪbɚ/
Syllables & stress
fibre (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fibre)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fibre
- Plural: fibre, fibres
Word family
Forms
fibres
noun
Core family
fiber
noun A2
fibrous
adjective
Related words
fibreglass
noun
fiberglass
noun
Expressions
carbon fibre
1/kˈɑɹbən fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
strong, light carbon-based material
A very strong but light material made from very thin strands of carbon, used in things like bikes, planes, and racing cars.
Examples
- The bicycle frame is made of carbon fibre.
- Carbon fibre is popular in high-performance sports equipment.
- They chose carbon fibre to reduce the weight of the car.
dietary fibre
1/dˈaɪətˌɛɹi fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
fibre in food that affects health
Fibre that is in food and is important for digestion and general health.
Examples
- Most people do not eat enough dietary fibre.
- Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fibre.
- The label shows how much dietary fibre the cereal contains.
high in fibre
1/hˈaɪ ˈɪn fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
containing a lot of fibre
Used to say that a food has a lot of dietary fibre.
Examples
- Whole grains are high in fibre and keep you full for longer.
- This snack bar is high in fibre but low in sugar.
- Look for foods that are high in fibre if you have digestion problems.
moral fibre
1/mˈɔɹəl fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
strength of character and courage
The strong part of a person’s character that helps them do what is right, even when it is hard.
Examples
- He finally found the moral fibre to admit his mistake.
- The judge praised her moral fibre in standing up to the company.
- Leaders need moral fibre as well as intelligence.
muscle fibre
1/mˈʌsəl fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
single thin part of muscle
One long, thin part of a muscle.
Examples
- Training can increase the size of each muscle fibre.
- Fast-twitch muscle fibres are used for short, powerful movements.
- The injury damaged several muscle fibres in his leg.
optical fibre
1/ˈɑptɪkəl fˈaɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
thin strand for light signals
A very thin piece of glass or plastic that carries light for phone, TV, or internet signals.
Examples
- Optical fibre allows data to travel long distances very quickly.
- The cables are made from bundles of optical fibres.
- Many countries are investing in optical fibre networks.