appetizer
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.”
How to Use Appetizer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small starter course, or figuratively, a taste of something bigger still to come.
In British English, "starter" is far more common than "appetizer," which is the standard American term.
Word Forms
appetizers plural
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."
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.