Filet and Fillet Are Pronounced Differently
A filet is a boneless cut of meat or fish. The two spellings carry different pronunciations and different levels of formality.
A filet is a boneless cut of meat or fish. The spelling signals the pronunciation: *fillet*, the ordinary British word, rhymes with *skillet*; *filet*, kept in French dishes like *filet mignon*, is said fee-LAY. Americans often use the French pronunciation even when spelling it fillet, which is why the two forms feel interchangeable but sound different. The word originally meant a little thread or band, from Latin *filum*.
- A boneless cut. *A beef filet.*
- Fillet — the British spelling. *A fillet of cod.*
- To bone a fish. *Fillet the fish.*
- Filet mignon — a premium beef cut. *Filet mignon.*
- Latin — *filum*, a thread. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (US/Fr) | filet | Filet mignon. |
| Noun (UK) | fillet | A fillet steak. |
| Verb | fillet | Fillet it. |
| Past | filleted | Filleted fish. |
| Latin | filum | A thread. |
- Ask the fishmonger to fillet it.British verb.
- Filet mignon is cut from the tenderloin.French dish.
- Fillet rhymes with skillet in Britain.Pronunciation.
The filum family
- Filet — a strip or band of meat
- File — a line of people, from a thread
- Filament — a fine thread
- Profile — an outline drawn with a thread of a line
- Filigree — delicate ornamental threadwork
Old French *filet*, a little thread or band, a diminutive of *fil*, thread, from Latin *filum*.
Is it filet or fillet?
Fillet is the standard British spelling and rhymes with skillet. Filet is French and used mainly in dish names.
What is filet mignon?
A small round steak cut from the narrow end of the beef tenderloin. The name means dainty fillet.