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• 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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file ¹ British  

/ faɪl /

verb

1. obsolete (tr) to pollute or defile

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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

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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

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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.

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file More Idioms  

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

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Other Word Forms

• filer
  noun
• nonfiler
  noun
• fileable
  adjective

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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

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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

The fact that he continues to file what you say are baseless motions in family court, in an apparent attempt to drain your savings and keep you engaged, speaks volumes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

As investors wait for the Claude developer to file its official IPO paperwork, several biotechs are going public and doing just fine.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

Anyone who issues such communications and spends more than $5,000 doing so in a calendar year must file a detailed spending report with the Michigan secretary of state.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

The attorneys also notified Efferson that Wonder would file a complaint should she refuse access again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

“But you must file it away now. Our mission remains intact. Do you understand?”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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

In fiscal 2026, which ended Sept. 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed 308 enforcement actions, Brattle estimated, marking a 57% decline from the annual average of 710 from 2018 through 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

On Monday, the group of Hollywood sign neighbors filed a legal complaint against the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman, whose district includes the neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Meanwhile, several leveraged ETFs have been filed with the SEC that aim to amplify the daily performance of Anthropic’s shares after the IPO.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in recent years in local, state and federal courtrooms across the country with various claims about alleged harms to children and teenagers caused by social media companies.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 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 retailer's directors are filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators, which if approved by the High Court, will give the business 10 days breathing space to find a rescue deal.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Anthropic’s S-1 filing, released on Monday, underscored its close ties with Google, which is at once a rival, supplier and investor in the AI lab.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Anthropic’s IPO filing “got people excited again,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, in a phone interview.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

The technology giant recorded $92.3 billion in total revenue and more than $36.6 billion in profit, the company said in a securities filing Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

He nods, keeping his composure, filing his fury away for another time.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

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Related Words

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

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