Final Answer:
In PHP, the filter used to validate an email address is FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL.
Step-by-step explanation:
The FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL filter in PHP is designed to validate an email address format. It checks whether the provided string conforms to the standard email address structure. To use this filter, developers typically employ the filter_var() function, passing the email address as the first parameter and the FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL constant as the second parameter. If the email address is valid, the function returns the sanitized version of the email; otherwise, it returns false. This filter helps ensure that the entered email address follows the correct syntax, reducing the risk of errors in email-related functionalities within PHP applications.