noun
appetizer
A-pih-teye-zuh
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.
Common pairings
order an appetizer
appetizer menu
Word Forms
appetizers plural
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We started with a shrimp _____ before the steaks arrived.
Etymology
From appetize + -er, ultimately tied to Latin appetitus, "appetite."