entrée

American  

[ahn-trey] / ˈɑn treɪ /

Or entree

noun

• entrées
  plural

1. a dish served as the main course of a meal.

2. Older Use. a dish served at dinner between the principal courses.

3. the privilege of entering; access.

   Synonyms:

   entry, admission

4. a means of obtaining entry.

   His friendship with an actor's son was his entrée into the theatrical world.

   Synonyms:

   entry, admission

5. the act of entering; entrance.

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entrée British  

/ ˈɒntreɪ /

noun

1. a dish served before a main course

2. the main course of a meal

3. the power or right of entry

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• entrées
  plural

Etymology

Origin of entrée

1775–85; < French, noun use of feminine past participle of entrer to enter; see entry

Explanation

Go to a fancy restaurant and take a look at the menu. If you decide to order the chicken, you've just selected your entree. Entree, pronounced "ON-tray" and sometimes spelled entrée, is another word for main course, at least as it's usually used in this country. Sometimes people talk about having an entree into society, or into some club. When it's used in those contexts, it usually means you have someone who's going to smooth the way, introduce you, and allow you to enter.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

entrée entrées

Baker Hughes has relationships with the national oil companies in the Middle East, giving Flexsteel an entrée to grow dramatically over time.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

Many of these can be batched ahead and used throughout the week — though sometimes, honestly, it’s nice to let a winter salad be a whole project, an entrée you build with intention.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025

With its work by Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Jean-Michel Basquiat and many others, our critic called the show “a superlative entrée to the movers and shakers of the period.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

Next was “Back in Black,” the song and album that marked Johnson’s 1980 entrée to the lineup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2025

Sutton’s is a cafeteria down the street from the department store, with trays that you slide down a steel counter to select just what you want for your entrée and side dish.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

However, there are also smart and simple methods for meatballs and stuffings and crunchy "fried things" and warm, nourishing soups and entrées to eat alongside them, as well as a Sicilian pastry called Iris.

From Salon ● May 5, 2023

It’s a similar concept: tapas-style small plates and entrées served family style.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 27, 2021

The restaurant has added a three-course, family-style meal priced at $160, with a rotating list of five nibbles and starters, three entrées, two sides and five seasonal desserts to share.

From Washington Times ● May 28, 2019

It’s tempting to maximize on the kitchen’s range by ordering only smaller plates like these, which make up most of the menu, but the entrées are excellent, too.

From The New Yorker ● May 3, 2019

We picked a nice wine to go with our entrées.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama