noun
appetizer
A-pih-teye-zuh
Appetizer (noun) means a small dish served before the main course of a meal. Example: “We started with a shrimp appetizer before the steaks arrived.”
noun
1
A small dish served before the main course of a meal.
"We started with a shrimp appetizer before the steaks arrived."
2
Something that builds excitement for a bigger thing to come.
"The trailer was just an appetizer for the full movie."
How to use appetizer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small starter course, or figuratively, a taste of something bigger still to come.
UK vs US
In British English, "starter" is far more common than "appetizer," which is the standard American term.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
order an appetizer
appetizer menu
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like appetizer.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- appetizers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We started with a shrimp _____ before the steaks arrived.
Etymology
From appetize + -er, ultimately tied to Latin appetitus, "appetite."
Synonyms
View more →
starter
appetiser
Related words
Rhymes for appetizer
See all rhymes for appetizer →Frequently asked questions
What does “appetizer” mean?
The word “appetizer” means a small dish served before the main course of a meal. In plain terms, a small starter course, or figuratively, a taste of something bigger still to come.
How do you pronounce “appetizer”?
“Appetizer” is pronounced A-pih-teye-zuh (/ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/ in IPA).
How do you use “appetizer” in a sentence?
Here is “appetizer” used in a sentence: “We started with a shrimp appetizer before the steaks arrived.”
What part of speech is “appetizer”?
“Appetizer” is a noun.
Where does the word “appetizer” come from?
The word “appetizer” comes from Latin. From appetize + -er, ultimately tied to Latin appetitus, "appetite.".
How many meanings does “appetizer” have?
“Appetizer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small dish served before the main course of a meal.
