shim

C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ʃɪm/ UK /ʃɪm/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a thin wedge or strip used to fill a gap or level something

He slipped a wooden shim under the wobbly table leg.
2

noun
a small software layer that adapts, patches, or provides compatibility between systems

The library includes a shim so older browsers can use the new API.
3

verb
to adjust, support, or make compatible by inserting a shim

The migration shims the legacy method until every caller is updated.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thin wedge or strip used... wedgespacerpackingfiller

2 noun · a small software layer that... adaptercompatibility layerwrapperpolyfillbridge

3 verb · to adjust, support, or make... adapt patch bridge support level

Opposites

gapmismatchincompatibility

Word family

Derived forms shimmedshimming

Related forms adapterpolyfillwrapper compatibilityspacer

Etymology

Of obscure origin, first attested in the early 18th century, perhaps from a Kentish dialect word for a wedge or slip of material. Software borrowed the physical image: a thin inserted layer that makes two otherwise mismatched parts fit together.

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# shim

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ʃɪm/
**IPA (UK):** /ʃɪm/

## Meanings
1. a thin wedge or strip used to fill a gap or level something
2. a small software layer that adapts, patches, or provides compatibility between systems
3. to adjust, support, or make compatible by inserting a shim

## Examples
- He slipped a wooden shim under the wobbly table leg.
- The library includes a shim so older browsers can use the new API.
- The migration shims the legacy method until every caller is updated.

## Synonyms
- wedge
- spacer
- packing
- filler
- adapter
- compatibility layer
- wrapper
- polyfill
- bridge

## Antonyms
- gap
- mismatch
- incompatibility

## Derived Forms
- shimmed
- shimming

## Related Forms
- adapter
- polyfill
- wrapper
- compatibility
- spacer

## Etymology
Of obscure origin, first attested in the early 18th century, perhaps from a Kentish dialect word for a wedge or slip of material. Software borrowed the physical image: a thin inserted layer that makes two otherwise mismatched parts fit together.

## AI Etymology
Shim is from of obscure origin, first attested in the early 18th century, perhaps from a Kentish dialect word; no certain earlier source is known. Morphologically, shim is best read as uncertain formation, yielding an English noun and verb shaped by both form history and later usage. In current English it functions as a noun and verb, with the sense "a thin wedge or strip used to fill a gap or level something". The result is an English noun and verb whose etymology preserves the older forms while supporting the word's specialized modern meaning.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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