I. fill·er ˈfilə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: fill (I) + -er
1.
a. : something that fills: as
(1) : a substance added to a product to increase the bulk or weight of the product (as in the case of wood flour added to a plastic) or to dilute expensive materials and often also to improve the product (as in its mechanical or electrical properties) : extender — compare diluent
(2) : any inert material or one containing little plant food that is added to commercial fertilizers, or pest-control chemicals to secure the weight or bulk needed to give the desired composition or physical condition
(3) : a composition (as of powdered silica and oil) used to fill the pores and grain of a wood or other surface before paint or varnish is applied
(4) : mineral matter (as clay, talc, or titanium dioxide) that is added to paper in papermaking (as in the beater) to increase opacity and improve printing quality
(5) : asphalt, cement, or coal-tar pitch used to fill the joints of brick and stone-block pavements
(6) : dry limestone dust, dust from another appropriate stone, or portland cement used in the surface mixture of sheet-asphalt pavement
(7) : a plate or other piece used to cover or fill in a space between two parts of a structure
b.
(1) : a standing tree or standard higher than the surrounding coppice — usually used in plural
(2) : any rapidly growing plant used to occupy idle space in a permanent planting ; especially : an early maturing variety in orcharding planted between the regular units
(3) : a stream that fills a lake
c.
(1) : tobacco used to add bulk to cigarettes without modifying their flavor or to form the bulk of plugs and twists ; especially tobacco used to form the core of a cigar — compare binder , wrapper
(2) : filling for a pie or a layer cake
d.
(1) : copy used primarily to fill extra space in a column or page of a newspaper or periodical ; especially : a brief item of fact (as from a reference book) appearing in a newspaper
a filler from an encyclopedia
(2) : paper used in a loose-leaf notebook
(3) : the inner layer or layers of a filled board
e.
(1) : a worker who fills pillows, comforters, cushions
(2) : a worker who puts rags and chemicals into a boiler that will clean and bleach the rags for use in papermaking
(3) : backfiller
(4) : a worker who fills and tests aircraft inclinometers
f.
(1) : a light form made often of wood and placed in a shoe to maintain its shape while on display : material used to fill the space between the outsole and the insole of a shoe
(2) : a device or implement (as a funnel, pipe, or syringe) that supplies or conducts the filling material to its receptacle
a fountain pen filler
g. : a card (as a ten or nine) that adds to the strength of a hand in bridge but is not recognized by a given method of evaluating the hand's strength : intermediate
2. : a worker who measures marble blocks, marks them for cutting, and verifies their measurements after cutting
II. fill·er noun
( -s )
Etymology: fill (III) + -er
now dialect : thill horse
III. fil·ler ˈfiˌle(ə)r, -eə noun
( plural fillers or filler )
Etymology: Hungarian fillér
1. : a Hungarian unit of value worth before 1925 1/100 korona, from 1925 to 1946 1/100 pengö, after 1946 1/100 forint — see money table
2. : a coin representing one filler
IV. filler noun
1. : an item of poor quality (as a worn coin) kept in a collection until a better specimen can be found to replace it
2. : material of little or no value included in a work (as a book or song collection) just to increase its size
3. : fill II,2a(3)