threadlike

Threadlike is an adjective used to describe objects or forms that resemble a thread: long, slender, and flexible. It is applied across disciplines to denote slender filaments or filiform shapes, often with a high length-to-diameter ratio.

In biology, threadlike describes structural filaments such as fungal hyphae, actin filaments, microtubules, nerve fibers, and hair or silk fibers. In mycology, hyphae are classic threadlike filaments that make up the vegetative body of many fungi. In microbiology, some bacteria grow as filamentous, threadlike structures, or possess threadlike surface appendages such as pili or fimbriae that aid adhesion and other functions. In materials science and textiles, threadlike fibers are used for weaving and fabric production.

Outside biology, threadlike can describe any slender, elongated form, including certain geological textures or filamentous elements in microscopy or artistic representations. The term emphasizes morphology—specifically a threadlike shape—rather than a particular material or function.