fil·let (f?l??t)n.1. A narrow strip of ribbon or similar material, often worn as a headband.2. also fi·let (f?-l??, f?l???)a. A strip or compact piece of boneless meat or fish, especially the beef tenderloin.b. A boneless strip of meat rolled and tied, as for roasting.3. Architecture a. A thin flat molding used as separation between or ornamentation for larger moldings.b. A ridge between the indentations of a fluted column.4. A narrow decorative line impressed onto the cover of a book.5. Heraldry A narrow horizontal band placed in the lower fourth area of the chief.6. Anatomy A loop-shaped band of fibers, such as the lemniscus.tr.v. fil·let·ed, fil·let·ing, fil·lets 1. To bind or decorate with or as if with a fillet.2. also fi·let (f?-l??, f?l???) To slice, bone, or make into fillets.[Middle English filet, from Old French, diminutive of fil, thread, from Latin f?lum; see gwh?- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.fillet (?f?l?t) n1. (Cookery) a. Also called: fillet steak a strip of boneless meat, esp the undercut of a sirloin of beefb. the boned side of a fishc. the white meat of breast and wing of a chicken2. a narrow strip of any material3. (Textiles) a thin strip of ribbon, lace, etc, worn in the hair or around the neck4. (Architecture) a narrow flat moulding, esp one between other mouldings5. (Architecture) a narrow band between two adjacent flutings on the shaft of a column6. (Civil Engineering) Also called: fillet weld a narrow strip of welded metal of approximately triangular cross-section used to join steel members at right angles7. (Heraldry) heraldry a horizontal division of a shield, one quarter of the depth of the chief8. (Architecture) Also called: listel or list the top member of a cornice9. (Anatomy) anatomy a band of sensory nerve fibres in the brain connected to the thalamus. Technical name: lemniscus 10. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a. a narrow decorative line, impressed on the cover of a bookb. a wheel tool used to impress such lines11. (General Engineering) another name for fairingvb (tr) , -lets, -leting or -leted12. (Cookery) to cut or prepare (meat or fish) as a fillet13. (Cookery) to cut fillets from (meat or fish)14. (Anatomy) anatomy to surgically remove a bone from (part of the body) so that only soft tissue remains15. to bind or decorate with or as if with a fillet Also (for senses 1?3): filet [C14: from Old French filet, from fil thread, from Latin f?lum]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014fil?let (?f?l ?t; usually f??le? for 1, 10 ) n., v. fil?let?ed (?f?l ? t?d) or, for 1,10, fil?leted (f??le?d) fil?let?ing. n. 1. a boneless cut or slice of meat or fish, as the beef tenderloin. 2. an ornamental ribbon for the head; headband. 3. any narrow strip, as of wood, metal, or fabric. 4. a decorative line impressed on a book cover. 5. a. a narrow flat molding raised or sunk between larger moldings. b. the narrow flat raised strip between two flutes of a column. 6. lemniscus. v.t. 7. to cut or prepare (meat or fish) as a fillet. 8. to bind or adorn with or as if with a fillet. [1300?50; Middle English filet