bast

[ bast ]
/ bæst /

noun

Botany. phloem.
Also called bast fiber. any of several strong, woody fibers, as flax, hemp, ramie, or jute, obtained from phloem tissue and used in the manufacture of woven goods and cordage.

Origin of bast

before 900; Middle English; Old English bæst; cognate with Dutch, German, Old Norse bast; perhaps ultimately cognate with Latin fascis bundle. See bass3

Words nearby bast

basso profundo, basso rilievo, basso-relievo, bassoon, basswood, bast, bast fiber, basta, bastard, bastard amber, bastard culverin

Example sentences from the Web for bast

British Dictionary definitions for bast

bast
/ (bæst) /

noun

Also called: bass fibrous material obtained from the phloem of jute, hemp, flax, lime, etc, used for making rope, matting, etc
botany another name for phloem

Word Origin for bast

Old English bæst; related to Old Norse, Middle High German bast