n.
Pronunciation: ' web
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old Norse vefr web, Old English wefan to weave
Date: before 12th century
1 : a fabric on a loom or in process of being removed from a loom
2 a : COBWEB , SPIDERWEB b : a network of silken thread spun especially by the larvae of various insects (as a tent caterpillar) and usually serving as a nest or shelter
3 : a tissue or membrane of an animal or plant especially : that uniting fingers or toes either at their bases (as in humans) or for a greater part of their length (as in many waterbirds)
4 a : a thin metal sheet, plate, or strip b : the plate connecting the upper and lower flanges of a girder or rail c : the arm of a crank
5 : something resembling a web: a : SNARE , ENTANGLEMENT <a web of intrigue> <ensnarled in a web of folly ― D. A. Stockman> b : an intricate pattern or structure suggestive of something woven : NETWORK <a web of little roads> <a complex web of relationships>
6 : the series of barbs on each side of the shaft of a feather : VANE
7 a : a continuous sheet of paper manufactured or undergoing manufacture on a paper machine b : a roll of paper for use in a rotary printing press
8 : the part of a ribbed vault between the ribs
9 capitalized : WORLD WIDE WEB
– webbed \ ' webd \ adjective
– web · like \ ' web- ˌ l ī k \ adjective