Strong, woven fabric strips used for belts, straps, and support structures, or the membrane between digits of water birds and amphibians. Also refers to a network of interconnected elements.
From 'web' (Old English 'webb', meaning woven fabric) plus the suffix '-ing'. Originally described the process of weaving, later extended to mean woven straps and by analogy to the natural membranes found in aquatic animals' feet.
Military webbing revolutionized how soldiers carry equipment, distributing weight across the body more effectively than previous leather systems. The term's dual meaning - both manufactured straps and natural animal membranes - reflects humanity's tendency to name artificial creations after natural phenomena we observe.
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