Meaning & use

filament

noun·Academic

In a flower, the thin stalk of the stamen that holds up the anther, which produces pollen.

See it in a sentence

Pollen grains cling to the tip of the filament just below the anther.

Under the microscope, students could see the slender filament supporting each anther.

A note on using this word

Outside botany, "filament" also refers to any fine thread-like strand, such as the wire inside an incandescent bulb.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A fine thread or wire-like strand, such as the glowing element in an incandescent light bulb.

The filament inside the old bulb glowed bright orange before it finally burned out.

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