Meaning & use
appetizer
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A small dish of food served before the main course of a meal.
Grammar: Countable; use 'an appetizer' or 'appetizers'.
Patterns
- an appetizer of something
- order an appetizer
- serve something as an appetizer
We shared a plate of olives as an appetizer.
The restaurant offers several appetizers, including soup and salad.
She ordered an appetizer while waiting for her main course.
Word forms
| plural | appetizers |
|---|
Common combinations
- order an appetizer
- We decided to order an appetizer before dinner.
- a light appetizer
- A light appetizer is perfect before a big meal.
- appetizer menu
- The appetizer menu includes both hot and cold dishes.
- serve appetizers
- They served appetizers at the party.
Synonyms and how they differ
- starter
- British English uses 'starter' for the same course; 'appetizer' is the American term.
- hors d'oeuvre
- A more formal or French term, often used for small bites at parties.
Word family
- appetizing adjective
- Looking or smelling good enough to make you want to eat.
- appetite noun
- The natural desire to eat food.
Commonly confused: appetizer or entrée?
appetizer vs entrée
In American English, 'entrée' is the main course, not the appetizer; in British English it can mean a starter, so context matters.
Practice
Before the main course, the waiter brought us a small dish as an ______.
Choose one answer.
'Appetizer' fits because it is a small dish served before the main course. 'Entrée' in American English is the main course, and 'dessert' comes after the meal, so neither fits the context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “appetizer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.