filmy

American  

[fil-mee] / ˈfɪl mi /

adjective

filmier, filmiest

1. thin and light; fine and gauzy.

   a gown of a filmy material.

2. hazy or misty; glazed.

   filmy eyes.

---

filmy British  

/ ˈfɪlmɪ /

adjective

1. composed of or resembling film; transparent or gauzy

2. covered with or as if with a film; hazy; blurred

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• filmily
  adverb
• filminess
  noun

Etymology

Origin of filmy

First recorded in 1595–1605; film + -y ¹

Explanation

Something that's filmy is light and translucent. Filmy white curtains are especially pretty when the sun shines through them and they blow in the breeze. The adjective filmy often describes fabric that you can almost see through, like a filmy dress you wear to the prom. A filmy layer of light might rest on the surface of water, and your old dog might have filmy eyes. In all of these examples, the filmy thing is nearly as thin as a film or membrane: the word stems from the Old English filmen, "membrane or thin skin."

Example Sentences

Retired high court judge Anjana Prakash told HW news that his comment was “dramatic, filmy and laughable and it had brought down the level of judiciary”.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2024

It reveals mostly close-ups of the singers, often as filmy cameos like you might see in old silents.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

For decades, researchers have assumed that the inevitable filmy buildup on electrodes inside rechargeable batteries is the driver of performance loss.

From Science Daily • Sep. 28, 2023

Ten giggling children, wearing short unitards or leggings or a filmy skirt just because, assemble on the long floor mats, managing to dance even when sitting down.

From Seattle Times • May 1, 2023

Nicasia’s eyes were filmy, the lids half covering her pupils.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago