rillettes

plural noun

ril·​lettes ri-ˈlets How to pronounce rillettes (audio)
-ˈyet
: cooked shredded meat (such as pork or duck) or fish preserved in fat

Examples of rillettes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The menu is concise, including dishes like crudités with seaweed hummus and gnocchi with roasted sunchokes and mushrooms, but there are a few meat options, such as Liberty duck rillettes. — Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Jan. 2023 De Leon is bringing a new menu to the Mediterranean wine bar and restaurant with dishes like duck rillettes, bacalao fritters, and yellowfin tuna crudo. — Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

French, plural, diminutive of rille, singular, piece of pork, from Middle French, dialect variant of reille board, lath, from Latin regula straightedge — more at rule

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rillettes was in 1858

Rhymes for rillettes

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Cite this Entry

“Rillettes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rillettes. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

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