n. 1 a slender threadlike body or fibre (esp. in animal or vegetable structures). 2 a conducting wire or thread with a high melting-point in an electric bulb or thermionic valve, heated or made incandescent by an electric current. 3 Bot. the part of the stamen that supports the anther. 4 archaic (of air, light, etc.) a notional train of particles following each other. filamentary adj. filamented adj. filamentous adj.
[ F filament or mod.L filamentum f. LL filare spin f. L filum thread ]