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.

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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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• appetizers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of appetizer

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

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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

Nibble on an appetizer: The main course used to be the whole point of eating out at a restaurant.

From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026

A shockingly good celery, blue cheese, walnut appetizer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

ADP is an appetizer of sorts ahead of the main course for markets: the official U.S. employment report on Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Kennedy also offered an appetizer made from raccoon roadkill, Trump joked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

And even if Pah didn’t come—snatching Gulliver as an appetizer before going after the main course—there was still no hope.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly

You can order some appetizers or a couple of pizzas and have everyone bring their own alcohol or other beverages.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

White button mushrooms are a valuable specialty crop and a familiar ingredient in everything from salads and appetizers to everyday meals.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

I had prepped appetizers, sides and heavily salted my steaks, in advance, which was fortunate.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

“Salma aunty dropped a new video about appetizers yesterday. I haven’t watched it yet.”

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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