Plain English Meaning
A small filter sitting inside the air line that cleans the air flowing through it, so that dirt and moisture never reach the instruments downstream.
Full Definition
A filter installed within a pneumatic line of an aircraft instrument system to trap dust, moisture, and other contaminants before they reach the instruments. In a typical pressure-indicating system, an inline filter is placed between the source of suction or pressure (such as a vacuum pump) and the instruments it serves, protecting sensitive components like gyros and gauges from damage.
Context Anchor
Seen in diagrams and maintenance discussions for pitot-static and other pressure indicating systems.