optical fiber
noun
a very thin, flexible glass or plastic strand along which large quantities of information can be transmitted in the form of light pulses: used in telecommunications, medicine, and other fields.
Also called
light guide.
Compare
fiber optics,
waveguide.
Origin of optical fiber
First recorded in 1960–65
Words nearby optical fiber
Scientific definitions for optical fiber
optical fiber
A flexible transparent fiber of extremely pure glass or plastic, generally between 10 and 200 micrometers in diameter, used especially to carry light signals for telecommunication purposes. See more at fiber optics.