A strong, lightweight material made from thin glass fibers held together by plastic resin, used to make boats, car parts, and insulation.
Compound word from 'fiber' (Latin 'fibra') and 'glass' (Proto-Germanic 'glas'). Invented commercially in the 1930s by the Owens-Corning company, combining two ancient materials in a modern way.
Fiberglass was a revolutionary material—it made things like surfboards, airplane parts, and car bodies much cheaper and lighter than ever before, which is why it became so popular after World War II when manufacturers needed strong but affordable materials.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.