meze

American  

[mez-e, me-ze] / ˈmɛz ɛ, mɛˈzɛ /

Also mezze

noun

• mezes,
  plural
• meze
  plural

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

2. any one dish of this type.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• meze
  plural
• mezes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of meze

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

meze mezes

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

Mix it with water or serve over ice as an aperitif, and accompany with traditional meze, especially dishes that include parsley, raw tomato, garlic, lemon, and mint.

From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2022

His menu segues from meze to appetizers like a salad of halloumi, hazelnuts and apples, then moves on to dishes like wood-roasted chicken with basmati rice, saffron and squash.

From New York Times ● Oct. 10, 2017

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

We ordered Rana's Table Feast, which included fifteen different dishes: eight appetizers, and four seasonal mezes, followed by an entrée to share and dessert.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2023

Cibalikapi has been operating at 30% capacity delivering mezes from one of its three locations with a hope to open doors back to the public in mid-June.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 12, 2020

Popular with locals and visitors alike, this long-standing restaurant might not have the harbor views, but its menu of kebabs and mezes comprises some of the best food in the region.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 13, 2015

Her mezes are superb, but her squash fritters with egg, dill, parsley and red onion are a massive hit.

From Forbes ● May 25, 2015

Orhan Yegen's brilliant mezes and hummus from Sip Sak started out, along with a salad made ahead of time by Ed "Eddie Glasses" Schoenfeld of Red Farm, with his memorable Chinese black vinegar dressing.

From Time ● Jun. 15, 2010

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