Thread vs. Floss — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 26, 2024
Thread refers to a thin strand of fiber used for sewing or weaving, while floss is a specific type of thread designed for cleaning between teeth or in detailed embroidery.
Difference Between Thread and Floss
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Thread is a versatile material made from cotton, wool, silk, or synthetic fibers, commonly used in sewing to join fabric pieces or in textiles for weaving. It's essential in various forms of fabric construction and repair. Floss, specifically dental floss, is a thin filament used for dental hygiene to remove food and plaque between teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach.
Embroidery floss is a type of thread that is thicker and composed of multiple fibers, used for crafting decorative needlework that adds color and design to fabric. The general purpose of thread covers a broad range of activities from everyday clothing repairs to industrial textile manufacturing.
Floss is specialized, either for health-related usage in dental care or for precision in crafting activities like embroidery. Threads vary widely in their composition and thickness based on their intended use, whereas flosses are generally uniform in thickness but vary in material, such as nylon for dental hygiene or silk for embroidery.
The durability and strength of thread are crucial for its function in garments and textiles, while the smoothness and resistance to breakage are key for floss, ensuring it effectively cleans without damaging gums or embroidery fabric.
Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Sewing, weaving, textile construction
Dental hygiene, embroidery
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Material Varieties
Cotton, silk, synthetic, wool
Nylon, Teflon, silk, cotton
Key Characteristics
Durable, varying thickness
Thin, smooth, specific strength
Functions
Joining fabrics, creating textiles
Cleaning teeth, decorative stitching
Usage Context
Broad, versatile in textiles
Specialized, health and crafts focused
Compare with Definitions
Thread
The material used for forming stitches in fabric.
He bought a strong thread to mend his jeans.
Floss
A type of soft thread used for particular jobs requiring a smooth finish.
The tailor used cotton floss for the delicate stitching on the wedding gown.
Thread
A metaphor for a connecting or unifying element.
The narrative thread of the movie tied all the elements together seamlessly.
Floss
A soft, thread-like dental tool for cleaning between teeth.
Her dentist recommended using waxed floss daily to improve gum health.
Thread
A fine cord of twisted fibers used in sewing and weaving.
She threaded the needle with silk thread for her embroidery project.
Floss
The action of using dental floss.
Flossing regularly helps prevent cavities and periodontal disease.
Thread
A continuous, thin strand used in textile arts.
The weaver used a colorful thread to create a vibrant pattern.
Floss
To clean between one's teeth with dental floss.
He flosses twice a day to maintain good oral hygiene.
Thread
The medium through which something is secured or fastened.
The jeweler used a gold thread to assemble the delicate necklace.
Floss
Embroidery thread, made of fine filaments, used in decorative needlework.
She chose a shimmering floss for the floral design on her handkerchief.
Thread
Fine cord of a fibrous material, such as cotton or flax, made of two or more filaments twisted together and used in needlework and the weaving of cloth.
Floss
Dental floss.
Thread
A piece of such cord.
Floss
Short or waste silk fibers, especially from the outer surface of the cocoon of a silkworm.
Thread
A thin strand, cord, or filament of natural or manufactured material.
Floss
Soft, loosely twisted thread, as of silk or cotton, used in embroidery.
Thread
Something that suggests the fineness or thinness of such a strand, cord, or filament
A thread of smoke.
Floss
A downy or silky fibrous substance, such as corn silk or silk cotton.
Thread
Something that suggests the continuousness of such a strand, cord, or filament
Lost the thread of his argument.
Floss
To clean between (teeth) with dental floss.
Thread
A helical or spiral ridge on a screw, nut, or bolt.
Floss
To use dental floss.
Thread
A portion of a program that can run independently of and concurrently with other portions of the program.
Floss
A thread used to clean the gaps between the teeth.
Thread
A set of posts on a newsgroup, composed of an initial post about a topic and all responses to it.
Floss
Raw silk fibres.
Thread
Threads(Slang)Clothes.
Floss
The fibres covering a corncob etc.; the loose downy or silky material inside the husks of certain plants, such as beans.
Thread
To pass one end of a thread through the eye of (a needle, for example).
Floss
Any thread-like material having parallel strands that are not spun or wound around each other.
Embroidery floss
Thread
To pass (something) through in the manner of a thread
Thread the wire through the opening.
Floss
(British) Spun sugar or cotton candy, especially in the phrase "candy floss".
Thread
To pass a tape or film into or through (a device)
Thread a film projector.
Floss
A body feather of an ostrich.
Flosses are soft, and grey from the female and black from the male.
Thread
To pass (a tape or film) into or through a device.
Floss
A dance move in which the dancer repeatedly swings their arms, with clenched fists, from the back of their body to the front, on each side.
Thread
To connect by running a thread through; string
Thread beads.
Floss
(UK) A small stream of water.
Thread
(Sports) To throw or send (a pass) through a heavily defended area to a teammate.
Floss
Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present.
Thread
To make one's way cautiously through
Threading dark alleys.
Floss
The common rush (Juncus effusus).
Thread
To make (one's way) cautiously through something.
Floss
To clean the area between the teeth using floss.
Thread
To occur here and there throughout; pervade
“More than 90 geologic faults thread the Los Angeles area” (Science News).
Floss
To show off, especially by exhibiting one's wealth or talent.
Thread
To machine a thread on (a screw, nut, or bolt).
Floss
To perform the floss dance move.
Thread
To remove (body hair) by using a looped thread that has been wound tightly in the middle.
Floss
The slender styles of the pistillate flowers of maize; also called silk.
Thread
To make one's way cautiously
Threaded through the shoals and sandbars.
Floss
Untwisted filaments of silk, used in embroidering.
Thread
To proceed by a winding course.
Floss
A body feather of an ostrich. Flosses are soft, and gray from the female and black from the male.
Thread
To form a thread when dropped from a spoon, as boiling sugar syrup.
Floss
A small stream of water.
Thread
A long, thin and flexible form of material, generally with a round cross-section, used in sewing, weaving or in the construction of string.
Floss
Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present.
Thread
A continued theme or idea.
All of these essays have a common thread.
I’ve lost the thread of what you’re saying.
Floss
A soft loosely twisted thread used in embroidery
Thread
(engineering) A screw thread.
Floss
A soft thread for cleaning the spaces between the teeth
Thread
A sequence of connections.
Floss
Use dental floss to clean;
Floss your teeth after every meal
Thread
The line midway between the banks of a stream.
Thread
(computing) A unit of execution, lighter in weight than a process, usually sharing memory and other resources with other threads executing concurrently.
Thread
(Internet) A series of messages, generally grouped by subject, in which all messages except the first are replies to previous messages in the thread.
Thread
A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark.
Thread
(figurative) Composition; quality; fineness.
Thread
(transitive) To put thread through.
Thread a needle
Thread
(transitive) To pass (through a narrow constriction or around a series of obstacles).
I think I can thread my way through here, but it’s going to be tight.
Thread
To screw on; to fit the threads of a nut on a bolt.
Thread
(transitive) To remove the hair using a thread.
How to thread your eyebrows and trim them
Thread
A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted; also, one fiber of a cord composed of multiple fibers.
Thread
A filament of any substance, as of glass, gold or silver; a filamentous part of an object, such as a flower; a component fiber of any or of any fibrous substance, as of bark.
Thread
Something continued in a long course or tenor; a recurrent theme or related sequence of events in a larger story; as the thread of a story, or of life, or of a discourse.
Thread
Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness.
A neat courtier,Of a most elegant thread.
Thread
A related sequence of instructions or actions within a program that runs at least in part independent of other actions within the program; - such threads are capable of being executed only in oprating systems permittnig multitasking.
Thread
A sequence of messages posted to an on-line newsgroup or discussion group, dealing with the same topic; - messages in such a thread typically refer to a previous posting, thus allowing their identification as part of the thread. Some news-reading programs allow a user to follow a single such thread independent of the other postings to that newsgroup.
Thread
To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to thread a needle.
Thread
To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also, to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the Bosphorus.
They would not thread the gates.
Thread
To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as, to thread a screw or nut.
Thread
A fine cord of twisted fibers (of cotton or silk or wool or nylon etc.) used in sewing and weaving
Thread
Any long object resembling a thin line;
A mere ribbon of land
The lighted ribbon of traffic
From the air the road was a gray thread
A thread of smoke climbed upward
Thread
The connections that link the various parts of an event or argument together;
I couldn't follow his train of thought
He lost the thread of his argument
Thread
The raised helical rib going around a screw
Thread
To move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course;
The river winds through the hills
The path meanders through the vineyards
Sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body
Thread
Pass a thread through;
Thread a needle
Thread
Remove facial hair by tying a fine string around it and pulling at the string;
She had her eyebrows threaded
Thread
Pass through or into;
Thread tape
Thread film
Thread
Thread on or as if on a string;
String pearls on a string
The child drew glass beads on a string
Thread dried cranberries
Common Curiosities
Why is it recommended to use waxed dental floss?
Waxed floss slides more easily between teeth and is less likely to fray compared to unwaxed floss.
What are the differences in thread used in sewing machines versus hand sewing?
Machine sewing thread is usually smoother and finer to avoid breaking in the machine, while hand sewing thread can be thicker and more fibrous.
What materials are used to make dental floss?
Most dental floss is made from nylon or Teflon, with some varieties coated in wax or flavoring agents.
How often should one replace their sewing thread?
Sewing thread doesn't expire, but it can become brittle and lose strength over time, especially if exposed to light and moisture, so replacing old threads can be beneficial.
Can dental floss be used for anything besides teeth cleaning?
Dental floss is often used as a strong, thin tool in crafts or even to cut soft cheeses and cakes cleanly.
What is the best type of thread for sewing denim?
A heavy-duty polyester thread is ideal for sewing denim due to its strength and durability.
How does the thickness of embroidery floss affect needlework?
Thicker floss creates bolder lines and is more visible, suitable for decorative stitching, while thinner floss is used for finer, more delicate detail work.
Are there environmental concerns associated with floss?
Yes, traditional nylon floss is not biodegradable, leading to concerns about plastic waste; however, there are eco-friendly options like silk and bamboo floss.
What is the importance of thread in textile manufacturing?
Thread is crucial in textile manufacturing as it holds together pieces of fabric, contributing to the durability and quality of the final product.
How can one determine the best type of thread for a specific sewing project?
Consider the fabric type and project durability needs; for instance, synthetic fibers are often best for synthetic fabrics, while natural fibers match well with natural materials.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
