filament
noun
fil·a·ment
ˈfi-lə-mənt
: a single thread or a thin flexible threadlike object, process, or appendage (see appendage sense 2): such as
a
: a tenuous (see tenuous sense 2) conductor (as of carbon or metal) made incandescent by the passage of an electric current
specifically
: a cathode (see cathode sense 2) in the form of a metal wire in an electron tube
b(1)
: a thin and fine elongated constituent part of a gill (see gill entry 2 sense 1)
(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
Cite this Entry
“Filament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filament. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.
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