fillet

A fillet is most often a boneless piece of fish or meat. You might cook a salmon fillet for dinner or order a beef fillet at a restaurant. The word can also mean a long, narrow strip of material, such as wood used in building or decoration.

It also appears in design and engineering, where it means a rounded inner edge between two surfaces. So the word may show up in the kitchen, in a workshop, or in a drawing of a part.

The word "fillet" has several related meanings. Most commonly, it means a boneless piece of fish or meat prepared for cooking or eating. A fish fillet is cut away from the bone, and a beef fillet is a tender cut of meat. The spelling filet is also common, especially in food names such as filet mignon.

Outside food, a fillet can be a long, narrow strip or band. In carpentry, woodworking, and architecture, it may be a small flat strip used for joining, spacing, or decoration. In engineering, drafting, and 3D modeling, a fillet is a rounded inner corner or curved transition between two surfaces, often added to make a part stronger or smoother.

There is also an older meaning: a fillet can be a narrow band worn around the head, like a ribbon or simple headband. This use is now uncommon, but it helps explain the basic idea behind the word: something cut or shaped into a narrow piece, strip, or curve. So whether you see it on a plate, in a building detail, or in a technical drawing, "fillet" usually names a neat, defined form with a practical purpose.