Filing
/ˈfaɪ.lɪŋ/noun
The act of arranging, sorting, or submitting documents; or the act of smoothing or shaping with a file.
Did you know?The document sense of filing comes from the same Latin root as “file” the abrasive tool, originally tied to scraping or rubbing down, which is why the word carries that hidden energy of reduction, control, and precision.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peig-
“to cut, scrape, or sharpen”
Latin
Latin
pilare
“to file down or scrape”
Old French
Old French
filer
“to file or smooth; later, to arrange in order”
Middle English
English
fylen / file
“to smooth with a file; later, to arrange papers in a file”
Modern English
English
filing
“the act of smoothing with a file or placing documents in order”