folder
noun
Simple meaning
An organizer that papers are kept in, usually with an index tab.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
fohlderSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈfoʊldɚ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
computing
A virtual container in a computer's file system, in which files and other folders may be stored. The files and subfolders in a folder are usually related.
An organizer that papers are kept in, usually with an index tab, to be stored as a single unit in a filing cabinet.
A machine or person that folds things.
A folding knife, typically a pocketknife.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A virtual container in a computer's file system, in which files and other folders may be stored. The files and subfolders in a folder are usually related.
Used this way, folder is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a computing use: it carries a fixed technical meaning inside software and systems work.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technology
- Technical/specialist writing
- Business/professional
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use folder
- “Please put all your important documents into this project folder.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Bend or lay so that one part covers the other.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Folder that holds papers together in a filing cabinet.
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What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.