filling

[fil-ing]

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.

filling

/ 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

adjective

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

Other Word Forms

• self-filling adjective
• unfilling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of filling¹

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

Example Sentences

Once applied, the gel forms a thin yet durable layer that seeps into the surface of the teeth, filling in tiny cracks and holes.

Read more on Science Daily

Ottery St Mary was expected to double in size with 20,000 visitors and the Devon town had to close to visitors with the car parks filling up early due to poor weather.

Read more on BBC

In a statement, he said that filling the stockpiles wouldn’t be complete overnight and that the decision to start buying back crude oil is “an important step in strengthening our energy security.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Banning foreign nationals from positions in academia makes as much sense as banning them from filling spots on the Florida Panthers.

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It’s not any more difficult than going to see a financial planner, for instance, or even filling out basic medical forms.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• dressing 
• layer 
• mixture 
• stuffing