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

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

My dinner at Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen and Bar came with a choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Instead of getting a glass of wine each and perhaps an appetizer to split, they now stick to water and an entree apiece to get out the door for under $70.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Melania does, however, approve of Mann’s suggestion that she serve an appetizer of caviar-topped golden eggs.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Jan. 6, 2026

For a second appetizer, I asked Angelo to bring a block of the pate he’d made from the liver of my pig.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan