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floss
(flôs, fläs)
noun
- the rough silk covering a silkworm's cocoon
- the short, downy waste fibers of silk
- a soft, loosely twisted thread or yarn, as of silk () or cotton, used in embroideryin full embroidery floss
- a soft, silky substance resembling floss, as in milkweed pods
- dental floss
Origin: earlier also flosh < Fr floche, downy, woolly (in soie floche, floss silk), ult. < L floccus: see floccus
transitive verb, intransitive verb
to clean (the teeth) with dental floss
See floss in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- Dental floss.
- Short or waste silk fibers, especially from the outer surface of the cocoon of a silkworm.
- Soft, loosely twisted thread, as of silk or cotton, used in embroidery.
- A downy or silky fibrous substance, such as corn silk or silk cotton.
To clean between (teeth) with dental floss.
verb, intransitive To use dental floss.
Origin:
Origin: Perhaps alteration of French floche, tuft of wool
Origin: , from Old French floc, floche
Origin: , from Latin floccus
.Related Forms:
- flossˈer noun
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