filth
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
very thick, disgusting dirt or waste that makes a place or person very messy.
disgusting or foul matter; extreme physical uncleanness that soils or defiles a surface or environment.
Simple“The abandoned house was covered in years of dust and filth.”
In context“After the flood waters receded, the basement was left coated in a thick layer of toxic filth and river silt.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
words, pictures, or ideas that people think are very rude, disgusting, or morally wrong.
material, such as pornography or extreme profanity, considered morally corrupting or deeply offensive.
Simple“Some parents complained that the new movie was nothing but filth.”
In context“The tabloid was accused of peddling filth under the guise of investigative journalism to boost its declining circulation.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a very rude and insulting name for the police.
a highly derogatory collective slang term for the police or law enforcement officers.
Simple“The teenagers ran away as soon as they saw the filth arriving.”
In context“In the gritty crime novel, the protagonist refers to the local precinct detectives exclusively as the filth.”
UsageUsually used with the definite article as 'the filth'.
Teacher's tipThis is extremely offensive and primarily used in British street slang; learners should avoid using it themselves.
From Middle English filth, from Old English fȳlþu, from Proto-West Germanic *fūliþu, equivalent to foul + -th (abstract nominal suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.