amuse-bouche

American

[ah-mooz-boosh, a-myz-boosh] / ɑˈmuzˈbuʃ, aˌmüzˈbuʃ /

noun

plural

amuse-bouches, amuse-bouche

a small appetizer as served, usually without charge, in a restaurant.

amuse-bouche British

/ amyzbuʃ /

noun

an appetizer before a meal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of amuse-bouche

1955–60; < French amuser to gratify, amuse + bouche mouth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is the type of movie that serves as an amuse-bouche to proper, headier dramas for the PG-13 crowd, and its bespoke accessibility is thoroughly appealing.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

If we were wrong on the timeline—and that is a greater risk now—the recent weakness in financial markets could be an amuse-bouche before a bearish feast.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

But that’s probably just an amuse-bouche, launching a full-size meal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026

They are the amuse-bouche, the tasty appetizer before the party gets serious and sits for the meal.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2023

“They makes a fine amuse-bouche for the king of the sea.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023