filling

American  

[fil-ing] / ˈfɪl ɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of filling.

2. something that is put in to fill something else.

   They used sand as filling for the depression.

3. Dentistry. a substance such as cement, amalgam, gold, or the like, used to fill a cavity caused by decay in a tooth.

4. a food mixture that goes into something, as if to fill it.

   sandwich filling; pie filling.

5. Also called pick, weft, woof.  Textiles. yarn carried by the shuttle and interlacing at right angles with the warp in woven cloth.

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filling British  

/ ˈfɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the substance or thing used to fill a space or container

   pie filling

2. dentistry

   1. any of various substances (metal, plastic, etc) for inserting into the prepared cavity of a tooth

   2. the cavity of a tooth so filled

3. textiles another term for weft

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adjective

1. (of food or a meal) substantial and satisfying

Other Word Forms

• self-filling adjective
• unfilling adjective

Etymology

Origin of filling

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; fill, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Parents and guardians will be able to set up these accounts by filling out IRS Form 4547 and establishing it through an initial trustee, or trustees, named by the U.S.

From Barron's

"Our children want to feel happiness, to feel childhood," she said, her kohl-rimmed eyes filling with tears.

From Barron's

“This time, they will likely use the money on necessities and filling gaps elsewhere in their budgets,” Hutchinson explains.

From Barron's

This can extend to project-based progression, in which new workers help implement AI initiatives across departments rather than filling traditional roles.

From The Wall Street Journal

By filling in this missing piece, they now believe that periods of global warming can swing too far in the opposite direction, potentially setting the stage for an ice age.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• dressing
• layer
• mixture
• stuffing