Jump To:

• file
  file

  noun

  a folder, cabinet, or other container in which papers, letters, etc., are arranged in convenient order for storage or reference.
• filé
  filé

  noun

  a powder made from the ground leaves of the sassafras tree, used as a thickener and to impart a pungent taste to soups, gumbos, and other dishes.

file

¹ American  

[fahyl] / faɪl /

noun

1. a folder, cabinet, or other container in which papers, letters, etc., are arranged in convenient order for storage or reference.

2. a collection of papers, records, etc., arranged in convenient order.

   to make a file for a new account.

3. Computers. a collection of related data or program records stored on some input/output or auxiliary storage medium.

   This program's main purpose is to update the customer master file.

4. a line of persons or things arranged one behind another (distinguished from rank).

5. Military.

   1. a person in front of or behind another in a military formation.

   2. one step on a promotion list.

6. one of the vertical lines of squares on a chessboard.

7. a list or roll.

8. a string or wire on which papers are strung for preservation and reference.

---

verb (used with object)

filed, filing

1. to place in a file.

2. to arrange (papers, records, etc.) in convenient order for storage or reference.

   Synonyms:

   index, catalog, label, classify, categorize, list

3. Journalism.

   1. to arrange (copy) in the proper order for transmittal by wire.

   2. to transmit (copy), as by wire or telephone.

      He filed copy from Madrid all through the war.

verb (used without object)

filed, filing

1. to march in a file or line, one after another, as soldiers.

   The parade filed past endlessly.

2. to make application.

   to file for a civil-service job.

idioms

1. on file, arranged in order for convenient reference; in a file.

   The names are on file in the office.

file ² American  

[fahyl] / faɪl /

noun

1. a long, narrow tool of steel or other metal having a series of ridges or points on its surfaces for reducing or smoothing surfaces of metal, wood, etc.

2. a small, similar tool for trimming and cleaning fingernails; nail file.

3. British Slang. a cunning, shrewd, or artful person.

---

verb (used with object)

filed, filing

1. to reduce, smooth, or remove with or as if with a file.

file ³ American  

[fahyl] / faɪl /

verb (used with object)

Archaic.

filed, filing

1. to defile; corrupt.

---

filé ⁴ American  

[fi-lay, fee-lay] / fɪˈleɪ, ˈfi leɪ /

noun

New Orleans Cooking.

1. a powder made from the ground leaves of the sassafras tree, used as a thickener and to impart a pungent taste to soups, gumbos, and other dishes.

---

file ¹ British  

/ faɪl /

verb

1. obsolete (tr) to pollute or defile

---

file ² British  

/ faɪl /

noun

1. a folder, box, etc, used to keep documents or other items in order

2. the documents, etc, kept in this way

3. documents or information about a specific subject, person, etc

   we have a file on every known thief

4. an orderly line or row

5. a line of people in marching formation, one behind another Compare rank 1

6. any of the eight vertical rows of squares on a chessboard

7. computing a named collection of information, in the form of text, programs, graphics, etc, held on a permanent storage device such as a magnetic disk

8. obsolete a list or catalogue

9. a group of problems or responsibilities, esp in government, associated with a particular topic

   the environment file

10. recorded or catalogued for reference, as in a file

---

verb

1. to place (a document, letter, etc) in a file

2. (tr) to put on record, esp to place (a legal document) on public or official record; register

3. (tr) to bring (a suit, esp a divorce suit) in a court of law

4. (tr) to submit (copy) to a newspaper or news agency

5. (intr) to march or walk in a file or files

   the ants filed down the hill

file ³ British  

/ faɪl /

noun

1. a hand tool consisting essentially of a steel blade with small cutting teeth on some or all of its faces. It is used for shaping or smoothing metal, wood, etc

2. rare a cunning or deceitful person

---

verb

1. (tr) to shape or smooth (a surface) with a file

file Scientific  

/ fīl /

1. A collection of related data or program records stored as a unit with a single name. Files are the basic units that a computer works with in storing and retrieving data.

---

file More Idioms  

1. see in single file; on file; rank and file.

---

Other Word Forms

• filer
  noun
• nonfiler
  noun
• fileable
  adjective

---

Etymology

Origin of file¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English verb filen, from Middle French filer “to string documents on a thread or wire,” Old French: “to wind or spin thread,” from Vulgar Latin fīlāre “to wind or spin thread,” from the Latin noun fīlum “a string, thread”; the English noun is derived from the verb

Origin of file²

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fīl, fēol; cognate with German Feile; akin to Slavic (Polish) piła “saw”

Origin of file³

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English fȳlan “to befoul, defile,” derivative of fūl foul

Origin of filé⁴

1800–10, < Louisiana French; literally, twisted, ropy, stringy (perhaps originally applied to dishes thickened with the powder), past participle of French filer; see file ¹

---

Explanation

To file is to submit an application or a record to some official authority, like a court, police station, or city hall. You might file a complaint against your neighbor after he shovels the snow from his driveway into yours. People file for divorce, file for bankruptcy, and file charges against criminals. You can also file a receipt or a record at home, by putting it in a file folder and then sliding the folder into a file cabinet. When you stand "single file," you're in a line or queue, and if the group moves a few steps, you can say it files forward.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

file filé filed filing

After the market turned, Nvidia and the other potential backers began demanding more stringent terms, these people said, delaying Nscale’s plans to file a revised IPO prospectus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026

They found that 8,880 names, or 42%, could not be matched to California’s current voter file.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

South Korea will file criminal complaints against students caught cheating on a national university entrance exam with smart glasses and toughen penalties for their use, a government official told AFP Friday.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

Anyone spending $5,000 on such speech would be required to file a state report disclosing the “name, address, occupation, employer, and principal place of business of each person that contributed $100.01 or more.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

I’m on my last file and realizing that I might have pulled the wrong one.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

His sliver of a restaurant in TriBeCa is named for filé powder, the ground sassafras thickener often used for making gumbo.

From New York Times ● May 24, 2022

Bailey's recipe calls for brandy and gumbo filé, which infuse the dish with a singular flavor.

From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2021

It also featured no seafood, and the filé powder was considered optional.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 8, 2019

Dressed in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, Guy was hunched over the gumbo, adding just the right measure of hot sauce and, at the end, Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine gumbo filé.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 4, 2019

Remove the vessel from the fire, and before pouring into the tureen, sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of filé.

From Favorite Dishes : a Columbian Autograph Souvenir Cookery Book by Carrie V. Shuman

Dan J. Sullivan, who has no political experience, filed as a challenger to the Republican incumbent, also named Dan Sullivan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Anthropic on Monday filed an amended version of its IPO paperwork, disclosing third-quarter results that show its growth — and its expanded spending commitments.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Just a few weeks ago, Talarico’s campaign met with local Muslim officials and community members in Dallas, where he emphasized a bill he filed that would include Muslim imams as legally recognized marriage officiants.

From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026

Initial complaints were expected to be filed on Sunday.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

The other adults filed out of the room.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

The loss stemmed mostly from non-cash accounting charges linked to the company's rising valuation, the filing showed.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Monday’s filing comes as Anthropic gets close to its pre-IPO roadshow, when it will make its pitch to investors considering participation in the initial public offering.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

An earlier version of the filing didn’t include that figure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

In its filing, Anthropic said it believes the founders group is “distinctly equipped to be stewards of our mission.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

He floated toward a big open room with rows and rows of filing cabinets as the Witchlings followed behind.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• book
• case
• data
• directory
• dossier
• folder
• information
• list
• notebook
• record

---