ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fil

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈfɪɫ// fil

n. a very thin thread or wire. It is often used to describe the delicate parts of a spider's web or a light bulb.

n. a slender, threadlike object or fiber, such as those found in animal or plant structures or the wire in an incandescent lamp.


SIMPLE

The spider hung from a single fil of silk.

CONTEXTUAL

The jeweler used a tiny fil of gold to repair the delicate antique necklace.

COMPLEX

In the early days of electrical engineering, inventors experimented with various carbonized materials to find a fil that could withstand high heat without breaking.

Origin

Clipping of filmjölk via Swedish fil. Also related to Finnish viili.

Usage

Often used in technical or literary contexts to describe extreme thinness.

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