noun
fillet
FIHL-iht
noun
1
A boneless strip or piece of meat or fish.
"The chef served a grilled salmon fillet with lemon butter."
"She trimmed the chicken breast into thin fillets."
2
A narrow band or strip used decoratively or to tie back the hair.
"She wore a golden fillet in her hair for the ceremony."
verb
1
To slice meat or fish into boneless strips, or remove the bones from it.
"The fishmonger filleted the trout in under a minute."
How to Use Fillet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often a boneless cut of meat or fish, though it can also mean a decorative strip or band.
UK vs US
In the UK, the meat cut is usually spelled "fillet"; American English commonly uses "filet" (as in filet mignon), especially in cooking contexts.
Common pairings
fillet steak
fish fillet
fillet of salmon
Word Forms
filleted past tense, fillets plural, fillets singular
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The chef served a grilled salmon _____ with lemon butter.
Etymology
From Old French filet, a diminutive of fil ("thread"), from Latin filum.