What does "filtering" mean?

1. (removing impurities) the process of passing a liquid or gas through a device to clean it. 2. (sorting information) the act of choosing or hiding specific information, especially on a computer.

How do you use "filtering"?

Often used as an uncountable noun in technical contexts. Commonly used in the context of internet security and database management.

filtering

US //ˈfɪɫtɝɪŋ// UK //fˈɪltəɹɪŋ// fil·ter·ing

1 removing impurities (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Science

the process of passing a liquid or gas through a device to clean it.

the physical process of passing a fluid through a porous medium to remove suspended matter.

Example

The filtering of the city's water supply makes it safe for everyone to drink.

Example

Advanced filtering of the industrial exhaust is mandatory to ensure that no toxic particulates are released into the local atmosphere.

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun in technical contexts.
- contamination
2 sorting information (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

the act of choosing or hiding specific information, especially on a computer.

the systematic selection or exclusion of data based on specific criteria.

Example

The email app uses smart filtering to move spam messages to a separate folder.

Example

The software allows for the precise filtering of search results, enabling researchers to isolate relevant papers by date and citation count.

Usage

Commonly used in the context of internet security and database management.