Filenames

/ˈfaɪlˌneɪmz/ noun

Definition

The names given to computer files, which identify them and are displayed in directories and on storage systems.

Etymology

Compound from 'file' (Old English 'feol') + 'name' (Old English 'nama'). Modern term created when computers needed a term for file identifiers.

Kelly Says

Filenames are a surprisingly modern invention—before computers, you might write 'Expenses 1995' on a folder, but now the rules about what characters you can use get hilariously complicated (no asterisks, no slashes!)

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