Standard Lemma guide

fillet

noun · verb · 24 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • fĭl'ĭt
  • /ˈfɪl.ɪt/
  • General-American: /fɪˈleɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪlɪt
  • rhymes with -eɪ
  • CMU ARPABET: F AH0 L EY1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A headband; a ribbon or other band used to tie the hair up, or keep a headdress in place, or for decoration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A thin strip of any material, in various technical uses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A heavy bead of waterproofing compound or sealant material generally installed at the point where vertical and horizontal surfaces meet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, construction, manufacturing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A rounded relief or cut at an edge, especially an inside edge, added for a finished appearance and to break sharp edges.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: CAD, computing, drafting, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A strip or compact piece of meat or fish from which any bones and skin and feathers have been removed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A premium cut of meat, especially beef, taken from below the lower back of the animal, considered to be lean and tender; also called tenderloin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • fillet steak

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A thin featureless moulding/molding used as separation between broader decorative mouldings.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: architecture

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The space between two flutings in a shaft.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: architecture

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

An ordinary equal in breadth to one quarter of the chief, to the lowest portion of which it corresponds in position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

The thread of a screw.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A colored or gilded border.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

The raised moulding around the muzzle of a gun.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

Any scantling smaller than a batten.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: arts, business, carpentry, construction, crafts, hobbies, lifestyle, manufacturing, woodworking

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

A fascia; a band of fibres; applied especially to certain bands of white matter in the brain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

The loins of a horse, beginning at the place where the hinder part of the saddle rests.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

To slice, bone or make into fillets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To apply, create, or specify a rounded or filled corner to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stopping

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fastener, fastening, holdfast, fixing

19

noun

Meaning 19

a narrow headband or strip of ribbon worn as a headband

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: taenia, tenia

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: headband

20

noun

Meaning 20

a bundle of sensory nerve fibers going to the thalamus

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lemniscus

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sensory nerve, afferent nerve, afferent

21

noun

Meaning 21

a longitudinal slice or boned side of a fish

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: filet, fish fillet, fish filet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: piece, slice

22

noun

Meaning 22

a boneless steak cut from the tenderloin of beef

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: filet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beefsteak

Narrower terms: Chateaubriand, tournedos, filet mignon

23

verb

Meaning 23

cut into filets

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • filet the fish

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: filet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: carve, cut up

24

verb

Meaning 24

decorate with a lace of geometric designs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: filet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decorate, adorn, grace, ornament, embellish, beautify

History

Etymology

From Middle English filet, vylette, felet, filette, flette, from Old French filet, diminutive of fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”).

Across languages

Translations

110 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: панделка (pandelka) — headband, ribbon
  • Finnish: tukkanauha — headband, ribbon
  • German: Haarband — headband, ribbon
  • German: Haargummi — headband, ribbon
  • German: Stirnband — headband, ribbon
  • Ancient Greek: ταινία (tainía) — headband, ribbon
  • Latin: vitta — headband, ribbon
  • Māori: tauri — headband, ribbon
  • Old English: þwæle — headband, ribbon
  • Ottoman Turkish: صاچ باغی (saç bağı) — headband, ribbon
  • Bulgarian: лента (lenta) — thin strip of any material
  • Czech: plátek — thin strip of any material
  • Finnish: nauha — thin strip of any material
  • German: Streifen — thin strip of any material
  • German: Band — thin strip of any material
  • German: Leiste — thin strip of any material
  • German: Stab — thin strip of any material
  • Finnish: saumaus — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • German: Dichtfuge — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • German: Dichtleiste — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • German: Dichtband — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • German: Abdichtung — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • German: Abdichtband — construction: heavy bead of waterproofing
  • Finnish: pyöristys — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • French: congé — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • German: Kehle — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • German: Hohlkehle — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • German: Auskehlung — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • German: Rundung — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • German: Innenkehle — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • Irish: fleasc — engineering: rounded relief or cut
  • Arabic: شَبَكَة (šabaka) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Bulgarian: филе́ (filé) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Burmese: ပိုကျကှနျကို (po kya khanya ko) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Czech: filé — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Czech: plátek — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Czech: řízek — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Dutch: filet — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Esperanto: fileo — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Finnish: leike — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Finnish: filee — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • French: filet — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • German: Filet — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • German: Lendenstück — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Greek: φιλέτο (filéto) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Hungarian: filé — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Icelandic: lundir — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Icelandic: flak — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Italian: filetto — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Korean: 필레 (pille) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Latvian: filejs — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Māori: hōripi — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Mongolian: цэвэр (cever) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Norwegian Bokmål: filet — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: filet — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Persian: فیله (file) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Portuguese: filé — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Romanian: file — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Russian: филе́ (filé) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Russian: филе́й (filéj) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Spanish: filete — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Swedish: filé — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Turkish: fileto — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Ukrainian: філе́ (filé) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • Yiddish: פֿילע (file) — strip of deboned meat or fish
  • German: Platte — architecture: thin flat molding
  • German: Leiste — architecture: thin flat molding
  • German: Kannelüre — architecture: thin flat molding
  • Irish: líosta — architecture: thin flat molding
  • Irish: fleasc — architecture: thin flat molding
  • Finnish: harjanne — architecture: space between two flutings
  • German: Kannelüre — architecture: space between two flutings
  • Finnish: ruuvikierre — thread of a screw
  • Finnish: kierre — thread of a screw
  • German: Gewinde — thread of a screw
  • German: Schraubengewinde — thread of a screw
  • German: Schraubgewinde — thread of a screw
  • Romanian: filet — thread of a screw
  • Romanian: ghivent — thread of a screw
  • Finnish: reunaviiva — colored border
  • German: Rahmen — colored border
  • German: Umrahmung — colored border
  • German: Rand — colored border
  • German: Umrandung — colored border
  • German: Randstreifen — colored border
  • German: Goldrand — colored border
  • Finnish: rima — scantling
  • German: Latte — scantling
  • German: Leiste — scantling
  • Finnish: kalvo — anatomy: fascia
  • Finnish: satula — loins of a horse
  • Bulgarian: нарязвам на филета (narjazvam na fileta) — to make into fillets
  • Czech: filírovat — to make into fillets
  • Czech: filetovat — to make into fillets
  • Finnish: fileerata — to make into fillets
  • Finnish: fileoida — to make into fillets
  • French: désosser — to make into fillets
  • French: lever les filets — to make into fillets
  • Italian: disossare — to make into fillets
  • Italian: sfilettare — to make into fillets
  • Māori: kōhaha — to make into fillets
  • Māori: mākiri — to make into fillets
  • Māori: hōripi — to make into fillets
  • Polish: filetować — to make into fillets
  • Polish: wyfiletować — to make into fillets
  • Polish: odfiletować — to make into fillets
  • Romanian: fileta — to make into fillets
  • Swedish: filea — to make into fillets
  • Finnish: pyöristää — to apply, etc, a rounded or filled corner to
  • German: abkehlen — to apply, etc, a rounded or filled corner to