ˈfībrəl, ˈfib-, -(ˌ)bril noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin fibrilla, diminutive of Latin fibra fiber
: a small thread or small fiber: as
a.
(1) : a filamentous outgrowth of the thallus in lichens
(2) : root hair
b.
(1) : one of the fine threads into which a striated muscle fiber may be longitudinally split after treatment with alcohol — compare myofibril
(2) : neurofibril
c. : one of the minute elongated elements that make up the structure of fibers of certain natural and synthetic materials (as textile fibers, wood, or fibrous proteins) and that are held to be made up ultimately of long-chain molecules oriented in a bundle in one direction — compare crystallite 2