appetizer

American  

[ap-i-tahy-zer] / ˈæp ɪˌtaɪ zər /

noun

• appetizers
  plural

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.

---

appetizer British  

/ ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə /

noun

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

2. any stimulating foretaste

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• appetizers
  plural

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

See Examples For:

appetizer appetizers

A shockingly good celery, blue cheese, walnut appetizer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Maybe, going forward, I should ask ahead of time whether she’d prefer that I Venmo her money rather than bring a dish or appetizer.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Priced according to your choice of entrée, brunch includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert, all portioned for a leisurely meal.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

SpaceX’s half-billion-dollar fee pool is expected to be a mere appetizer as Anthropic and OpenAI prepare to launch their own mammoth IPOs in the coming months.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

But then she, Saint Sarah, squeals when she finds out that I’m an appetizer, no dinner, and yes dessert person too, like her.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Unless this fish was topped with literal caviar, the meal you’re describing doesn’t sound like it would be near $500, especially if guests were also contributing sides and appetizers.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Replay officials discuss this calmly, matter-of-factly, like they’re ordering appetizers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

One of its newly added appetizers is a grilled saltbush-crusted kangaroo loin.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

Seated at a banquette table in the back of the restaurant, the pair ordered two entrees, drinks, and appetizers, totaling $371.55, and at some point during the meal, Eatherly began livestreaming.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

A photographer took our pictures and waiters in tuxedos and white gloves served us appetizers off silver trays.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers