Filtered

Filtered is the past participle and adjective form of the verb filter. It describes material or data that has passed through a barrier designed to remove unwanted elements. The term is commonly used across science, engineering, and everyday language.

In physical processes, filtration uses a porous medium such as fabric, paper, sand, membranes, or activated charcoal to separate solids from liquids or gases. Filtration can be driven by gravity, pressure, or vacuum, and the choice of medium affects which constituents are removed and how quickly the process occurs. Common applications include drinking water treatment, air purification, and beverage preparation.

In everyday life, products are described as filtered to indicate that solids have been removed. Examples include filtered water, filtered coffee, or filtered milk. Filtration can improve taste, safety, or consistency by reducing particulates or contaminants.

In computing and signal processing, filtering refers to the selective attenuation or enhancement of components within data or signals. A filtered signal has unwanted frequencies removed or reduced, while a filtered dataset has its records restricted based on specified criteria, such as a query or condition.

The opposite of filtered is unfiltered, indicating the presence of solids, noise, or data components without prior removal. The concept underpins many practices, from environmental remediation to data hygiene.