fillet

1 of 2

noun

fil·​let ˈfi-lət How to pronounce fillet (audio)
 in sense 2b also  fi-ˈlā,
ˈfi-(ˌ)lā How to pronounce fillet (audio)
variants or less commonly filet
fi-ˈlā How to pronounce fillet (audio)
ˈfi-(ˌ)lā
1
: a ribbon or narrow strip of material used especially as a headband
2
a
: a thin narrow strip of material
b
: a piece or slice of boneless meat or fish
especially : the tenderloin of beef
3
a
: a concave junction formed where two surfaces meet (as at an angle)
b
: a strip that gives a rounded appearance to such a junction
also : a strip to reinforce the corner where two surfaces meet
4
: a narrow flat architectural member:
a
: a flat molding separating others
b
: the space between two flutings (see flute entry 1 sense 3) in a shaft

fillet

2 of 2

verb

fil·​let ˈfi-lət How to pronounce fillet (audio)
 in sense 2 also  fi-ˈlā,
ˈfi-(ˌ)lā
filleted; filleting; fillets

transitive verb

1
: to bind, furnish, or adorn with or as if with a fillet
2
: to cut into fillets

Examples of fillet in a Sentence

Noun a juicy fillet of beef Verb He carefully filleted the fish with a sharp knife.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Microwave-Steamed Fish relies on, yes, a microwave to quickly cook large fillets. Condé Nast, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024 The fillet arrived hot and fresh, showing no signs of oil even though it was clearly plucked from the fryer just seconds earlier. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Spread the mayonnaise mixture equally on the fillets. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 24 Feb. 2024 LLMs have what robots lack: access to knowledge about practically everything humans have ever written, from quantum physics to K-pop to defrosting a salmon fillet. David Berreby, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024 The breaded pollock fillet gets topped with lettuce, a slice of American cheese, pickles, and creamy dill tartar sauce. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024 According to his father, Richard, Johnny has never fought a kangaroo but occasionally enjoys the occasional barbecued roo fillet. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Feb. 2024 Liberally coat the buttered side of the fillets with the spice mix. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 1 Feb. 2024 Drizzle a little oil over the fillets, and squeeze the reserved lemon half over them. Domenica Marchetti, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Verb
My partner deftly filleted one of the fish and pan fried it in butter. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2024 Cleaning puffers is different than a filleting other fish, and this video (above) does a great job of showing you the steps. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 Aug. 2023 Add the olive oil and sear the salmon fillets skin side down until the skin is browned and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes. Eric Kim, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2023 Burbot are skinned and then filleted. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Apr. 2023 Fantastic John Krasinski, Captain Agent Carter America, '90s Professor X: Wanda fillets them all. Darren Franich, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2023 The text is also instructional, explaining how to fillet a whole fish, ferment and pickle, and use layering to achieve unorthodox flavor combinations. Von Diaz, Washington Post, 3 June 2022 Fabric bought from Florence bind the cushions made by Sabbagh, and a roving cart becomes a talker when staff use it to carve a whole chicken or fillet a fish tableside. Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2022 Each challenge is based on one of her signature dishes: how to fillet a flat fish, or make clarified butter and soufflés. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fillet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English filet, from Anglo-French, diminutive of fil thread, from Latin filum — more at file

Verb

derivative of fillet entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fillet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fillet

Cite this Entry

“Fillet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fillet. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fillet

1 of 2 noun
fil·​let ˈfil-ət How to pronounce fillet (audio)
also
fi-ˈlā How to pronounce fillet (audio)
ˈfil-(ˌ)ā
variants also filet
fi-ˈlā How to pronounce fillet (audio)
ˈfil-(ˌ)ā
: a piece or slice of boneless meat or fish

fillet

2 of 2 verb
: to cut into fillets

Medical Definition

fillet

noun
fil·​let ˈfil-ət How to pronounce fillet (audio)
: a band of anatomical fibers
specifically : lemniscus

More from Merriam-Webster on fillet

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