meze

American  

[mez-e, me-ze] / ˈmɛz ɛ, mɛˈzɛ /

Also mezze

noun

plural

mezes, meze

1. several small dishes served as an appetizer or with alcoholic drinks, or as a light meal.

2. any one dish of this type.

---

meze British  

/ ˈmɛzɛ /

noun

1. a type of hors d'oeuvre eaten esp with an apéritif or other drink in Greece and the Near East

---

Etymology

Origin of meze

First recorded in 1900–05; from modern Greek mezés, from Turkish meze, “appetizer, snack,” from Persian maze, maza “flavor, relish”

Example Sentences

It runs far deeper than whether the two sides eat meze or antipasti between hypothetical rounds of fresh talks.

From BBC • May 20, 2025

At Aba in Bal Harbour, the laid-back Middle Eastern mini chain from the Chicago-based hospitality group Lettuce Entertain You, where cold meze and kebabs dominate the menu, there are little wooden stools for bags.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 6, 2023

It's also a frequent member of the salatim, or salads, in a meze spread you'd find at a Mediterranean restaurant.

From Salon • Jan. 17, 2022

Greek meze, market greens, yellow lentil soup and a few breakfast items are on the menu.

From New York Times • Nov. 28, 2019

The tables are big enough for you and your friends, gathered around to share a plate of meze.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda