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Filling Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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filling

[หˆfษชlษชล‹ ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

food

A substance such as cream, custard, or meat, used as a filling inside a cake or pie.

Synonyms

center, interior, stuffing.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
filling

Use when talking about food, especially pastries, sandwiches, or medical terms like dental fillings.

  • This donut has a delicious chocolate filling.
  • The dentist replaced my old filling with a new one.
stuffing

Use in the context of food, especially when talking about a mixture placed inside chicken, turkey, or vegetables, and in the context of filling plush toys or cushions.

  • Grandmaโ€™s turkey stuffing is the best.
  • The teddy bearโ€™s stuffing was coming out.
center

Use for describing the middle point or most important part of something, including abstract ideas, physical locations, and activities.

  • The center of the city is very crowded.
  • She is at the center of this project.
interior

Use when referring to the inside of a space, such as rooms, buildings, vehicles, or design aspects.

  • The carโ€™s interior is very luxurious.
  • She specializes in interior design.

Examples of usage

  • The cake was delicious with a creamy filling inside.
  • She made a pie with a sweet apple filling.
  • The sandwich had a generous filling of cheese and ham.
Context #2 | Noun

dentistry

A substance used to fill a cavity in a tooth.

Synonyms

dental filling, dental restoration, filling material.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
filling

Used generally to describe the material or substance used to fill a space, often in food or other items, not necessarily limited to dental context.

  • The sandwich filling was delicious and creamy.
  • She added a sweet filling to the pastry.
dental filling

Specifically used when referring to materials used to fill a cavity in a tooth. This term is most appropriate in a dental or medical context.

  • After examining the cavity, the dentist decided that a dental filling was necessary.
  • He needed a dental filling to repair the damage caused by tooth decay.
filling material

Refers to the substance specifically used in dental fillings, highlighting the material aspect rather than the procedure or result. This term is often used by dental professionals discussing technical details.

  • The dentist chose a composite resin as the filling material for the cavity.
  • Different types of filling materials have various advantages and disadvantages.
dental restoration

A broader term that encompasses not only fillings but also other dental procedures like crowns, bridges, and implants. This term is used in more specialized or formal dental language.

  • The patient required a dental restoration to fix the broken tooth.
  • Modern dental restorations can greatly improve the appearance of damaged teeth.

Examples of usage

  • The dentist applied the filling to the decayed tooth.
  • She needed a filling to repair the cavity.
Context #3 | Verb

action

The act of making something full or complete.

Synonyms

complete, fill up, load.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
filling

Used mainly to describe adding content to an empty space or making something full in a satisfactory way. It is commonly used in cooking or dental treatment.

  • The pie has a delicious apple filling.
  • The dentist will put a filling in your tooth.
fill up

Usually used to describe the action of making something full, often in relation to containers or spaces. It can also imply a continuous process until capacity is reached.

  • Please fill up the tank with gas.
  • The room began to fill up with people.
load

Typically refers to putting items into something for transport or storage. It can also be used figuratively to mean placing a responsibility or burden on someone.

  • We need to load the truck with the boxes.
  • She felt loaded with extra work during the busy season.
complete

Often used to indicate that something is finished or fully done. It can be applied in various scenarios such as tasks, projects, or collections.

  • She needs to complete her homework by tomorrow.
  • They finally complete the puzzle.

Examples of usage

  • She was filling the glass with water.
  • He spent the afternoon filling out paperwork.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Culinary Arts

  • In cooking, fillings can be sweet, like fruit or chocolate inside pastries, or savory, like meat or vegetables in dumplings.
  • The concept of filling dates back to ancient times when people filled bread or dough with various ingredients to enhance flavor.

Children's Literature

  • Many children's stories have characters who go on adventures for filling meals, emphasizing the importance of food in culture.
  • Classic tales like 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' incorporate the idea of filling through the charactersโ€™ preferences in food and comfort.

Psychology

  • Research shows that people often choose foods with satisfying fillings because they create a sense of fullness and satisfaction.
  • The comfort food effect relates to fillings, as they can evoke feelings of nostalgia and happiness from childhood meals.

Art and Craft

  • In crafts, 'filling' can refer to materials placed inside toys or pillows to provide softness or shape, just like food fills a dish.
  • Artists sometimes use 'fillings' in mixed media to create texture in their work, layering materials for visual depth.

Construction

  • In building, 'filling' refers to materials used to fill gaps, such as insulation, which helps keep buildings warm or cool.
  • The concept of filling is crucial in architecture, as effective use can improve energy efficiency and reduce waste.

Origin of 'filling'

The word 'filling' originated from the Middle English word 'fylling', which is the present participle of 'fyllen', meaning 'to fill'. The term has been used since the 14th century to describe the action of making something full or complete. Over time, it also came to refer to substances used to fill cavities in teeth and as fillings in food items like cakes and pies.

See also: fill, filled, filler, overfill, refill, refilling, unfilled.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,594, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.