filter

¹fil·ter

noun \ˈfil-tər\

Definition of FILTER

1

a : a porous article or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out matter in suspension

b : an apparatus containing a filter medium

2

a : a device or material for suppressing or minimizing waves or oscillations of certain frequencies (as of electricity, light, or sound)

b : a transparent material (as colored glass) that absorbs light of certain wavelengths or colors selectively and is used for modifying light that reaches a sensitized photographic material —called also color filter

3

: something that has the effect of a filter (as by holding back elements or modifying the appearance of something) <his work is too often viewed through the filter of race — Brent Staples>

4

: software for sorting or blocking access to certain online material

Examples of FILTER

1. She smokes cigarettes with filters.
2. He placed a red filter on the camera lens.
3. digital filters that stop high-frequency sounds

Origin of FILTER

Middle English filtre, from Medieval Latin filtrum piece of felt used as a filter, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German filz felt — more at felt

First Known Use: 1563

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

Rhymes with FILTER

jilter, kilter, philter, quilter, tilter

²filter

verb

fil·teredfil·ter·ing \-t(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of FILTER

transitive verb

1

: to subject to the action of a filter

2

: to remove by means of a filter

intransitive verb

1

: to pass or move through or as if through a filter

2

: to come or go in small units over a period of time <people began filtering in>

Examples of FILTER

1. They've begun filtering their water to remove impurities.
2. a device that filters impurities from water
3. sunglasses that filter ultraviolet light
4. Sunlight filtered through the leaves.
5. His ideas have filtered down to his children.
6. The crowd filtered into the arena.
7. Early election returns have begun to filter in.

First Known Use of FILTER

1576

Related to FILTER

Synonyms

strain, screen

Related Words

leach, percolate

Near Antonyms

cloud, dull, muddy; contaminate, dirty, soil; defile, pollute, taint; begrime, besmirch, foul, sully