filler

¹ American  

[fil-er] / ˈfɪl ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that fills.

   a filler for pies; a filler of orders.

2. a thing or substance used to fill a gap, cavity, or the like.

3. a substance used to fill cracks, pores, etc., in a surface before painting or varnishing.

4. a liquid, paste, or the like used to coat a surface or to give solidity, bulk, etc., to a substance, as paper or a chemical powder.

5. Journalism. material, considered of secondary importance, used to fill out a column or page.

6. an implement used in filling, as a funnel.

7. cotton, down, or other material used to stuff or pad an object, as a quilt or cloth toy.

8. material placed between the insole and the exterior sole of a shoe.

9. Linguistics. (especially in tagmemics) one of a class of items that can fit into a given slot in a construction.

10. Building Trades. a plate, slab, block, etc., inserted between two parallel members to connect them.

11. the tobacco forming the body of a cigar.

12. metal in the form of a rod or wire, used in brazing, welding, and soldering.

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fillér ² American  

[fee-lair, fil-air] / ˈfi lɛər, ˈfɪl ɛər /

Also filler

noun

plural

fillér

1. an aluminum coin of Hungary, one 100th of a forint.

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filler British  

/ ˈfɪlə /

noun

1. a person or thing that fills

2. an object or substance used to add weight or size to something or to fill in a gap

3. a paste, used for filling in cracks, holes, etc, in a surface before painting

4. architect a small joist inserted between and supported by two beams

5. 1. the inner portion of a cigar

   2. the cut tobacco for making cigarettes

6. journalism articles, photographs, etc, to fill space between more important articles in the layout of a newspaper or magazine

7. informal something, such as a musical selection, to fill time in a broadcast or stage presentation

8. a small radio or television transmitter used to fill a gap in coverage

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Etymology

Origin of filler¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; fill + -er ¹

Origin of fillér²

First recorded in 1900–05; from Hungarian, from Middle High German vierer type of coin, equivalent to vier four + -er -er ¹

Example Sentences

This works because breadcrumbs aren’t filler; they’re a delivery system.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

Fat grafting might sound intense, but it’s a kind of natural filler.

From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026

Next, play the recording audio-only, to listen for pacing, filler words and clarity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Salton says AI tools can also be useful for reviewing drafts and removing excess filler or qualifier words.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

A puny arrow connects the filler who with a gap right next door, and the reader gets instant gratification: no sooner does she come across who than she knows what it’s doing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker