filament

fil·a·ment

noun \ˈfi-lə-mənt\

Definition of FILAMENT

: a single thread or a thin flexible threadlike object, process, or appendage: as a : a tenuous conductor (as of carbon or metal) made incandescent by the passage of an electric current; specifically : a cathode in the form of a metal wire in an electron tube b (1) : a thin and fine elongated constituent part of a gill (2) : an elongated thin series of cells attached one to another or a very long thin cylindrical single cell (as of some algae, fungi, or bacteria) c : the anther-bearing stalk of a stamen — see flower illustration

— fil·a·men·ta·ry \ˌfil-ə-ˈmen-t(ə-)rē\ adjective

— fil·a·men·tous \-ˈmen-təs\ adjective

Examples of FILAMENT

1. algae covered with tiny filaments
2. <the cable was made up of fine filaments twisted together>

Origin of FILAMENT

Middle French, from Medieval Latin filamentum, from Late Latin filare to spin — more at file

First Known Use: 1594

Related to FILAMENT

Synonyms: bristle, fiber, hair, thread

Related Words: microfiber; cord, rope, string, wire, yarn; fuzz, tuft

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Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate