A heavy, strong-backed fabric or cloth, sometimes used in upholstery or as reinforcing material in garment construction.
From 'gab' (possibly related to gaff or gab in dialectal English) plus 'back,' descriptive of a sturdy backing material used in textile manufacturing.
Gabback was particularly useful in Victorian furniture making—they'd attach it to the back of expensive fabrics to prevent wear and tear, so even cheaper upholstery could look luxurious and last longer!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.