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-ley, fee-ley] / 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 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 ³ 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 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

Alvarado said there is a “fine line” between protecting the public from crime and protecting people’s privacy, but said she did not plan to file legislation to shift the grant requirements.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026

About 92% of U.S. health providers now encourage or require prepayment or collect a payment method on file during the medical estimate process.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

Reddington immediately pleaded for a temporary pause so they could file an emergency appeal with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Sullivan obliged, allowing Reddington one hour to file his appeal, but it ultimately failed with the state supreme court quickly holding a hearing and denying the application for an emergency stay.

From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026

“There isn’t a file on Mr. Reardon’s desk,” Jonah said.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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

Sprinkle with the parsley or scallions, if using, and serve with hot sauce and filé powder, if desired.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2021

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

Last week Uefa filed legal papers in the US requesting disclosure of evidence and documents from Fifa, warning it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

In the new federal disclosure, filed in August after Paxton received a three-month extension, he reported a net worth between $1 million and $27 million.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

MLB engineered the sale of the Dodgers after previous owner Frank McCourt filed for bankruptcy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

Yet three patents filed between 2020 and 2025 have the word "surveillance" in the title.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

In the past, agents had filed reports by phone or telegram, or by briefing a superior in person.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

The lawsuit hits Oura right as the company with an $11 billion valuation is filing for an initial public offering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

H. Dean Steward, a defense attorney, first kicked off the renewed effort last week, filing a motion asking Senior U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

Elon Musk's Space X company operates a satellite ground station on the island while satellite giants including SES, Inmarsat, Avanti and Telesat have all registered spacecraft through the Isle of Man's filing system.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

In January, Spanish prosecutors said their shelving of the case did not prevent the women from filing their complaint in other jurisdictions.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

The filing cabinets had locks, but they were child’s play.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

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