/fil"it/ ; usually /fi lay"/ for 1, 10 , n.
1. Cookery.
a. a boneless cut or slice of meat or fish, esp. the beef tenderloin.
b. a piece of veal or other meat boned, rolled, and tied for roasting.
2. a narrow band of ribbon or the like worn around the head, usually as an ornament; headband.
3. any narrow strip, as wood or metal.
4. a strip of any material used for binding.
5. Bookbinding.
a. a decorative line impressed on a book cover, usually at the top and bottom of the back.
b. a rolling tool for impressing such lines.
6. Archit.
a. Also called list . a narrow flat molding or area, raised or sunk between larger moldings or areas. See diag. under molding .
b. a narrow portion of the surface of a column left between adjoining flutes.
7. Anat. lemniscus.
8. a raised rim or ridge, as a ring on the muzzle of a gun.
9. Metall. a concave strip forming a rounded interior angle in a foundry pattern.
v.t.
10. Cookery.
a. to cut or prepare (meat or fish) as a fillet.
b. to cut fillets from.
11. to bind or adorn with or as if with a fillet.
12. Mach. to round off (an interior angle) with a fillet.
Also, filet (for defs. 1, 10).
[ 1300-50; ME filet fil thread + -et -ET ]