filling
FIH-lihng
Filling (noun) means the material used to fill a cavity in a tooth, or the substance itself. Example: “My tooth feels fine now that the dentist has put in a new filling.”
noun
1
The material used to fill a cavity in a tooth, or the substance itself.
"My tooth feels fine now that the dentist has put in a new filling."
"One of his fillings fell out while he was eating toffee."
"The dentist gave her a filling after finding a small cavity."
2
The mixture or contents inside a pie, sandwich, or similar food.
"The sandwich had a generous filling of cheese, pickle and crisp lettuce."
"The pie had a rich apple filling."
"He spread a thick chocolate filling between the cake layers."
adj
1
Describing food that satisfies hunger by making one feel full.
"A bowl of lentil soup with bread is surprisingly filling for lunch."
"These pancakes are very filling, so I only needed one."
"Porridge is a filling breakfast on a cold morning."
How to use filling
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat goes inside something (a tooth, pie, or sandwich) — or, as an adjective, food that leaves you satisfyingly full.
Common pairings
tooth filling
pie filling
filling meal
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Word forms
- Plural
- fillings
- Comparative
- more filling
- Superlative
- most filling
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My tooth feels fine now that the dentist has put in a new _____.
Related words
Rhymes for filling
willing
killing
milling
billing
chilling
drilling
spilling
grilling
trilling
Shilling
unwilling
thrilling
See all rhymes for filling →
Frequently asked questions
What does “filling” mean?
The word “filling” means the material used to fill a cavity in a tooth, or the substance itself. In plain terms, what goes inside something (a tooth, pie, or sandwich) — or, as an adjective, food that leaves you satisfyingly full.
How do you pronounce “filling”?
“Filling” is pronounced FIH-lihng ([ˈfɪɫɪŋ] in IPA).
How do you use “filling” in a sentence?
Here is “filling” used in a sentence: “The dentist gave her a filling after finding a small cavity.”
What part of speech is “filling”?
Depending on how it is used, “filling” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “filling” a common word?
“Filling” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “filling” have?
“Filling” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the material used to fill a cavity in a tooth, or the substance itself.
What is the difference between a "filling" and "stuffing"?
In cooking, "filling" and "stuffing" both refer to a mixture placed inside food, and the words often overlap. "Filling" is the general term for the contents inside a pie, sandwich, cake, or pastry, while "stuffing" usually refers specifically to a seasoned mixture packed inside meat or poultry.
What is the difference between a "filling" and a "cavity"?
In dentistry, a cavity is the hole or area of decay in a tooth, while a filling is the material used to repair it. The dentist removes the decay to create space, then places a filling to restore the tooth's shape and function.
Is "filling" countable?
It depends on the meaning. When it refers to a tooth repair, "filling" is countable, as in "I need three fillings." When it refers to the contents of food, it is often used uncountably, as in "there was too much filling," though you can also say "a sweet filling."
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