appetizer

American  

[ap-i-tahy-zer] / ˈæp ɪˌtaɪ zər /

noun

1. a small portion of a food or drink served before or at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the desire to eat.

2. any small portion that stimulates a desire for more or that indicates more is to follow.

   The first game was an appetizer to a great football season.

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appetizer British  

/ ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə /

noun

1. a small amount of food or drink taken to stimulate the appetite

2. any stimulating foretaste

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Etymology

Origin of appetizer

First recorded in 1860–65; appetiz(ing) + -er ¹

Explanation

An appetizer is part of a meal that's served before the main course. You might serve your dinner guests an appetizer of crab-stuffed mushrooms when they first arrive for dinner. Usually, an appetizer is a small serving of food — just a few bites — meant to be eaten before an entree, and often shared by several people. You can also call an appetizer an hors d'oeuvre. An appetizer is meant to stimulate your appetite, making you extra hungry for your meal. This is where the word comes from, literally meaning "something to whet the appetite" or "something to appetize."

Example Sentences

Chili’s offers a deal with a drink, appetizer and entree that starts at $10.99.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 6, 2026

On standard Italian menus, pasta is known as a “first course,” in what amounts to a second appetizer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

In one way, it’s funny to hear C-suite executives describing this fried appetizer iteration in the kinds of awestruck tones usually reserved for, like, the discovery of penicillin.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

You can never go wrong with bringing an appetizer — or appetizers — to a potluck.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2025

The appetizer arrives—a steaming Crock-Pot of bubbling cheese fondue with three types of breads and apples with tiny dipping forks.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed