2 syllables: fab, ric. Stress on fab.
FAB-rik
/ˈfæbɹɪk/
fabric is pronounced FAB-rik (/ˈfæbɹɪk/). It has two syllables (fab-ric), with the stress on "fab". Fabric refers to material woven, knitted, or felted from fibers, used in making clothes, furnishings, and industrial products. It also can mean a structure or framework of something, such as the fabric of society. The term is commonly used in textiles, fashion, and manufacturing contexts, often with specific types (cotton fabric, wool fabric) and qualities (durability, weight).
Fabric refers to material woven, knitted, or felted from fibers, used in making clothes, furnishings, and industrial products. It also can mean a structure or framework of something, such as the fabric of society. The term is commonly used in textiles, fashion, and manufacturing contexts, often with specific types (cotton fabric, wool fabric) and qualities (durability, weight).
"The fabric of the dress feels soft and breathable."
"We chose a heavy wool fabric for the winter coat."
"The market offers a wide range of synthetic fabric blends."
Pronounce as /ˈfæbrɪk/. Put primary stress on the first syllable: FA-bric. The first vowel is the short a in 'cat' and the second is the lax i as in 'pick'. The consonant cluster /br/ should be tight, with a light tying of the b and r sounds. Listen for a crisp stop after /fæ/ before /brɪk/. For reference, think: FA-brick without the o sound. IPA guides: US/UK/AU all share /ˈfæbrɪk/.
Common errors include turning the second vowel into a longer /iː/ (FA-brik instead of FA-brɪk) and over-emphasizing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Another mistake is delaying the /k/ release, making it sound like FA-br-wik. To correct: keep the /ɪ/ short and crisp, deliver the /br/ cluster with a quick, tight lips-to-tongue transition, and release the final /k/ promptly after the /ɪ/. Use a brief pause between /fæ/ and /brɪk/ to avoid vowel intrusion.
In US, UK, and AU, the word remains /ˈfæbrɪk/ with primary stress on the first syllable. The main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality: US tends to be rhotic with a slightly darker /æ/ and a quicker /ɪ/; UK typically has crisper /æ/ and less vocalic coloring in unstressed vowels; AU is similar to UK but may be slightly more relaxed, with subtle vowel shifts depending on regional variation. The /r/ is not released in non-rhotic UK varieties, affecting the /br/ cluster’s flow.
Fabric pairs a stressed, open-front vowel /æ/ with a compact /br/ cluster and a short /ɪ/ before /k/, which can cause vowel intrusion (overshooting) or over-emphasis on the /r/ in some dialects. Beginners often mispronounce /br/ as separate syllables or blend /brɪk/ into /brik/ with a longer /ɪ/. Mastery comes from crisp articulation of the /æ/ to /br/ transition and a quick stop on /k/, keeping the second syllable short and clipped.
A unique feature is maintaining a clean, brief /ɪ/ in the second syllable after the /br/ cluster, without inserting extra vowel length before /k/. It’s easy to blur the /ɪ/ into a schwa in rapid speech, especially in connected speech. The sustained stress on the first syllable plus the tight /br/ makes fabric sound compact and precise. Practice focusing on the rapid /brɪk/ release to preserve the word’s compact rhythm.
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Fabric originates from the Latin word fabrica, meaning workshop, craft, or structure, derived from forgerem forge. This evolved into Old French as fabrique, then medieval Latin fabrica, indicating a craft or structure, and later English borrowed fabric with its textile sense. The sense related to woven material emerged by the 13th century as textiles became more standardized. The word broadened to denote any underlying structure or system (e.g., the fabric of society) by the 17th–18th centuries, capturing both physical materials and the metaphorical interconnections within a system. Early English texts show fabric used to describe cloths and woven goods; by the Industrial Revolution, fabric technology and varieties proliferated, cementing its centrality in fashion, upholstery, and manufacturing. The evolution reflects shifts from manual crafts to mechanized textile production, while the sense of “framework” persists in modern usage across disciplines. First known use in English dates to the 12th–13th centuries with references to weaving and cloth, expanding over time into abstract uses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fabric" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fabric" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fabric"
-fic sounds
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