noun
brill
brihl
noun
1
A European flatfish similar to a small turbot, prized as a food fish.
"The chef served pan-fried brill with a lemon butter sauce."
How to Use Brill
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA flatfish related to turbot, popular in European cooking.
When to use it
In British informal slang, "brill" is also a shortening of "brilliant" (meaning excellent) — a different, unrelated use worth knowing if you hear it in conversation.
Word Forms
brills plural, brill plural
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The chef served pan-fried _____ with a lemon butter sauce.
Etymology
Possibly from Cornish brilli ("mackerel"), from a Brythonic word meaning "spotted".