Extremely dirty or disgusting matter, especially feces or anything grossly unclean; also used to mean morally repulsive or offensive content.
From Old English 'fylth,' related to 'foul.' The word has Germanic roots connected to decay and corruption, and expanded metaphorically to include anything morally corrupt or repugnant.
Filth is one of those words where the literal (actual dirt) and metaphorical (moral corruption) meanings are completely intertwined in English—we use the same word for sewage and for immoral behavior, showing how deeply we connect physical and moral cleanliness.
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