fibrous

the word 'fibrous' is a modern english formation built directly upon the latin root 'fibra', which referred to a filament, fibre, or even a lobe of the liver, suggesting something threadlike or stringy. the suffix '-ous', also of latin origin (through old french '-ous', from latin '-osus'), is a prolific adjective-forming element meaning 'abounding in, full of, characterized by'. therefore, the literal construction 'fibrous' transparently means 'full of fibres'. the semantic journey is straightforward, with the core concept of a thin, threadlike structure persisting from its latin source into its modern scientific and descriptive usage in english, applied to materials, tissues, and textures.

Structure: fibr (fibre) + ous (adjective suffix) fibr (from latin 'fibra', meaning fibre, filament, entrails); ous (a suffix of latin origin forming adjectives, meaning 'full of', 'having the qualities of', 'characterized by').