weaver

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who makes cloth, rugs or baskets by crossing threads or strips over and under one another.

   Grammar: Often used with a material or type: a rug weaver, a basket weaver.

   Patterns

   • a weaver of something
   • a hand weaver

   The village weaver made blankets in bright colors.

   Her grandmother was a weaver who worked at a wooden loom.

   Skilled weavers can produce a rug in a few weeks.

2. 2nouncountablebiology

   A small bird, found mostly in Africa and Asia, that builds a hanging nest of woven grass.

   Grammar: Often written as weaver bird or weaverbird.

   Patterns

   • a weaver bird

   Male weavers build neat round nests to attract a mate.

   A colony of weavers hung their nests from the acacia tree.

   The weaver is famous for the skill it shows in making its nest.

Word forms

Common combinations

basket weaver

The basket weaver sold her work at the weekend market.

skilled weaver

A skilled weaver can create complex patterns.

weaver bird

The weaver bird builds an intricate nest.

rug weaver

The rug weaver used wool dyed from local plants.

master weaver

The master weaver trained three apprentices.

Synonyms and how they differ

loom operator

Loom operator is a plainer, job-description term, while weaver also suggests craft and skill.

textile worker

Textile worker is much broader and covers anyone working with cloth, not only those who weave.

craftsperson

Craftsperson is a general word for any skilled maker, whereas weaver names the specific craft.

Word family

weave verb

to form cloth by crossing threads

weaving noun

the craft or act of making cloth by weaving

woven adjective

made by weaving

handwoven adjective

woven by hand rather than by machine

interweave verb

to weave together

Commonly confused: weaver or spinner?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “weaver”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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