filet mignon

American

[fi-lay min-yon, min-yon, fee-le mee-nyawn] / fɪˈleɪ mɪnˈjɒn, ˈmɪn jɒn, fi lɛ miˈnjɔ̃ /

noun

a small, tender round of steak cut from the thick end of a beef tenderloin.

filet mignon British

/ ˈfɪleɪ ˈmiːnjɒn /

noun

a small tender boneless cut of beef from the inside of the loin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of filet mignon

1905–10; < French: dainty fillet

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

filet mignon

Fresh ramps often sell for over $30 a pound, more than filet mignon or live lobster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

The five-time major champion goes back to his roots with Irish champ as a main course side dish to accompany either wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

I usually order a ribeye at similar restaurants, but our server highly recommended the filet mignon flight, which was positively decadent.

From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026

Instead of filet mignon, he’s serving hanger steaks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2024

Jonas played along, scanning the thing as if there was suddenly something new there—rabbit cassoulet, filet mignon.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023