Filler
'fɪlər
Definitions
3 meaningsA substance or material used to fill something, especially a space, gap, or cavity.
'fɪlər
Something used to fill a space or void.
The sculptor used filler to smooth out imperfections in the clay.
💡 Simply: Imagine a dentist using a special material to fix a hole in your tooth – that material is a filler! It fills the space, making things whole again.
👶 For kids: A thing you use to fill up a space or a hole.
More Examples
The seamstress used filler to stuff the cushions.
The dentist used a composite filler to repair the tooth.
How It's Used
"The construction crew used filler to level the uneven surface of the road."
"She got a lip filler to plump her lips."
Something, especially words or phrases, used to fill pauses or gaps in speech or writing; something of little importance added to a longer piece of text.
'fɪlər
Something that fills space or time, especially something unimportant.
Her presentation was full of filler, and the audience lost interest.
💡 Simply: When someone is talking and says 'um' or 'like' a lot, those are filler words. They don't really mean anything, but they fill up the space while the person is thinking.
👶 For kids: Something that fills up a space, like 'um' when you're talking!
More Examples
He used filler words to stall for time while he thought.
The news report used filler to extend the broadcast time.
How It's Used
"He used a lot of fillers like 'um' and 'ah' in his speech."
"The newspaper used filler articles to fill the empty space."
A person or thing that serves as a replacement or substitute, often temporarily.
'fɪlər
A person or thing used to replace another.
The understudy served as a filler until the lead actor recovered.
💡 Simply: Imagine a substitute teacher filling in for your regular teacher. They're a filler until the regular teacher comes back.
👶 For kids: Someone or something that takes the place of another person or thing for a little while.
More Examples
The new employee was only a filler, brought in to handle the extra workload.
They were just filler players until the star players came back from injury.
How It's Used
"The company hired a temporary filler for the position while the permanent employee was on leave."
"The team brought in a filler player to make up the numbers after the star player got injured."
Idioms & expressions
filler material
Materials used to fill a space, gap, or void.
"The construction crew needed a large amount of filler material to level the ground."
filler words
Words or phrases used to fill gaps in speech, often without adding meaning.
"She tried to reduce the number of filler words in her speech."
From the verb 'fill' + '-er', denoting something used to fill a space or gap. The usage evolved to encompass various applications, from physical materials to words and phrases.
The term 'filler' gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, initially describing materials used in manufacturing and construction. Its use expanded to describe linguistic elements and substitutes in various contexts later on.
Memory tip
Think of filling a cavity or a gap with something substantial.
Word Origin
"to fill"