Shortfills

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Containers partially filled with liquid, often for vaping, allowing users to add their own nicotine or flavor; small bottles typically holding concentrate or base liquid for dilution; refillable vessels designed to be topped up with additional substances for consumer customization
2. Small, partially pre-filled bottles meant to be completed by users adding liquid components; short-sized containers holding concentrated solutions intended for mixing; containers designed to accommodate additional liquid to achieve desired strength or flavor
3. Bottles containing a portion of liquid intended for further filling by the user, especially in vaping contexts; compact vials holding base fluid needing additive supplements; receptacles suitable for topping up with supplementary liquids for personalized mixtures

Etymology: "Shortfills" is a plain compound of "short" and "fill," with the noun "fill" meaning a quantity of something sufficient to satisfy or fill. In English, a "fill" has long been used for the amount of something needed to fill a container, and the plural "shortfills" describes containers that fall short of that amount. The word's specific sense is trade jargon, most often used for bottles of wine, spirits, or other liquids that have lost volume through leakage, evaporation, or age, and so sit below the normal fill level. Its formation follows the familiar English pattern of pairing an adjective with a noun, as in "shortweight" or "shortfall," so it needs no special explanation beyond its parts. Its exact date of first use is uncertain.

Synonyms: partial fills, incomplete fills

Antonyms: full fills, complete fills