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Definition of brill
brill
/brɪl/
brill
Plural:brill
•Adjective:brill
brill Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
8
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
brill Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A species of European marine flatfish related to the turbot, having a smooth, lightly speckled, diamond-shaped body and prized as a food fish.
Example
"The chef prepared a delicate pan-seared fillet of brill served with lemon butter and capers."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective and interjection, 'brill' is highly informal British slang clipped from 'brilliant'; however, its usage as a noun refers to a specific type of marine flatfish and is considered standard, formal vocabulary.
• Rhymes for brill
Word Origin & Etymology
The fish name originated in the late 15th century from a Cornish word related to the Breton 'brilli' (mackerel). The slang term emerged in 1970s Britain as a clipping of 'brilliant'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Brill. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/brill