floss

B2 Topic:Health & Medicine

US /flɔs/ UK /flɒs/ See IPA manual

Freq #15999

Meanings

1

noun
a thin, soft thread used to clean between the teeth

She used dental floss to remove food caught between two molars.
2

verb
to clean between the teeth with dental floss

Dentists recommend that patients floss gently each day.
3

noun
soft, loosely twisted silk, cotton, or similar thread used in embroidery

The pattern required three shades of blue embroidery floss.
4

noun
a light, soft mass of fine fibers, down, or hair

A pale floss of hair lifted in the breeze above his forehead.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thin, soft thread used to... dental floss

2 verb · to clean between the teeth... clean between the teeth

3 noun · soft, loosely twisted silk,... embroidery flossembroidery thread

4 noun · a light, soft mass of fine... downfine fibers

Word family

Derived forms flosserflossyflosslike

Related forms thread fiber silk

Common collocations

dental floss Adjective + noun

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may come through French floche, 'tuft of wool,' from Latin floccus, 'lock of wool,' or from a related Germanic word connected with fleece. The name first referred to soft untwisted silk or thread and later to dental thread.

Topics

Health & Medicine

External links

# floss

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /flɔs/
**IPA (UK):** /flɒs/
**Frequency rank:** 15999

## Meanings
1. a thin, soft thread used to clean between the teeth
2. to clean between the teeth with dental floss
3. soft, loosely twisted silk, cotton, or similar thread used in embroidery
4. a light, soft mass of fine fibers, down, or hair

## Examples
- She used dental floss to remove food caught between two molars.
- Dentists recommend that patients floss gently each day.
- The pattern required three shades of blue embroidery floss.
- A pale floss of hair lifted in the breeze above his forehead.

## Synonyms
- dental floss
- embroidery floss
- embroidery thread

## Derived Forms
- flosser
- flossy
- flosslike

## Related Forms
- thread
- fiber
- silk

## Etymology
The origin is uncertain. It may come through French floche, 'tuft of wool,' from Latin floccus, 'lock of wool,' or from a related Germanic word connected with fleece. The name first referred to soft untwisted silk or thread and later to dental thread.

## Topics
- Health & Medicine

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