filament Hear it!

filament definition

fila·ment (fil′ə mənt)

noun

  1. a very slender thread or fiber
  2. a threadlike part; specif.,
    1. the fine metal wire in a light bulb which becomes incandescent when heated by an electric current
    2. the cathode of a thermionic tube, usually in the form of a wire, which may be electrically heated
  3. Bot. the stalk of a stamen bearing the anther

Etymology: Fr < ML filamentum < LL filare, to spin < L filum: see file

Related Forms:

  • filamentary fil′a·men′·tary (-men′tə rē) adjective
  • filamentous fil′a·men′·tous (-men′təs) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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