filament

/ˈfɪləmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɪləmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfi-lə-mənt/ (ame, mw)

filament — noun

  • filamentsingular
  • filamentsplural

1. a very thin strand of material, such as silk, nylon, glass, or spider web

1.名詞C1
釋義

a very thin strand of material, such as silk, nylon, glass, or spider web

例句

Saira pulled a loose filament from the edge of the wool scarf.

a loose filament from fabric

Under the lamp, the silk filament looked almost transparent on the needle.

同義詞
  • thread

    the everyday word, especially for sewing or cloth

  • fiber

    often refers to the material itself rather than one visible strand

  • strand

    a general word for one long thin piece from a larger whole

文法句型

a filament of silk

nylon filament

feed filament into a 3D printer

用法筆記

Often used for one extremely fine strand rather than a whole cloth, rope, or sheet. Common with manufactured materials and with natural strands such as spider silk.

2. the fine wire in an old-style light bulb that becomes bright when electricity fl

2.名詞C1
釋義

the fine wire in an old-style light bulb that becomes bright when electricity flows through it

例句

The bulb went dark when the filament burned out during dinner.

the filament burns out

Anthony watched the filament glow orange inside the old desk lamp.

the filament glows inside a lamp

同義詞
  • wire

    broader and less specific; it does not suggest a light bulb

  • element

    used for a part that heats, especially in appliances, not only for bulbs

文法句型

the filament in the bulb

the filament burns out

the filament glows

用法筆記

Usually refers to incandescent bulbs, heaters, or torches with older bulb technology. LEDs do not use a filament.

常見錯誤

The filament in my LED bulb burned out.
The LED bulb stopped working.
💡filament is used for older bulbs that contain a wire, not for standard LED bulbs.

3. a long narrow structure formed by one stretched cell or by many cells joined in

3.名詞C2
釋義

a long narrow structure formed by one stretched cell or by many cells joined in a line, especially in living things such as algae, mould, and some bacteria

例句

Under the microscope, Eshe pointed to the green filament in the pond sample.

a green filament in a sample

The biology chart showed each filament growing as a line of joined cells.

a filament as a line of cells

同義詞
  • thread

    a looser visual comparison, not a technical biology term

  • hypha

    more specific and used for one fungal filament

文法句型

a fungal filament

a green filament in a sample

a filament of joined cells

用法筆記

Common in biology descriptions of algae, fungi, and some bacteria. Distinguish this sense from sense 1, which is about a material strand rather than living cells.