What does fiberglass mean?
Fiberglass is a composite material consisting of extremely thin strands of glass woven or matted together and bound in resin, producing a substance that is remarkably strong yet lightweight and resistant to corrosion. Because it can be molded into nearly any shape, it has become indispensable in industries from boatbuilding to automotive manufacture, and it is equally familiar in everyday life as attic insulation and shower enclosures. The word also serves as a verb, meaning to coat or reinforce an object with this material, a usage especially common among North American tradespeople. Connotations are practical rather than glamorous: fiberglass suggests durability, affordability, and versatility, though enthusiasts of premium materials such as carbon fiber sometimes treat it as the budget alternative. Spelled 'fibreglass' in British English and 'fiberglass' in American English, it entered the language in the twentieth century after the commercial development of glass-fiber production.
A strong, lightweight composite material made of fine glass fibers embedded in resin, widely used in building insulation, boat hulls, vehicle bodies, and molded products.
"Most small fishing boats today are built from fiberglass rather than wood."
Usually treated as an uncountable mass noun; spelled 'fibreglass' in British English.
To cover or reinforce a surface with fiberglass, typically by applying layers of glass-fiber matting and resin.
"He decided to fiberglass the flat roof to stop the leaks."
Chiefly North American and common in trade contexts.
Fiberglass is normally an uncountable mass noun and takes no plural; a rare plural 'fiberglasses' appears only when referring to distinct types or instances.
"Several kinds of fiberglass are used in marine construction."
Invented accidentally by a researcher shooting a steam-powered jet at molten glass, fiberglass went on to hull boats, insulate homes, and even sheath the original Corvette.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fiberglass
Fiberglass is a compound of 'fiber', from Latin 'fibra' meaning a filament or small strand, and 'glass', from Old English 'glæs'. Fine glass fibers were produced experimentally in the nineteenth century, but the modern material emerged in the 1930s when researchers at Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois developed methods for drawing molten glass into continuous filaments; the two companies merged their efforts as Owens-Corning in 1935. British English retains the spelling 'fibreglass', reflecting the traditional British rendering of '-fiber' as '-fibre'.
Related word forms
How fiberglass is actually used
British spelling is 'fibreglass'. The word functions primarily as an uncountable mass noun; the verb use ('to fiberglass') is chiefly North American.
Easily confused with fiberglass
Carbon fiber is a composite reinforced with carbon filaments rather than glass fibers, prized for greater stiffness despite its higher cost.