appetizer

noun

ap·​pe·​tiz·​er ˈa-pə-ˌtī-zər 

1

: a food or drink that stimulates the appetite and is usually served before a meal

The appetizers included shrimp with cocktail sauce, vegetables and dips, cheeses, and fruits.

2

: something that stimulates a desire for more

a literary appetizer

hoped that the short trip would be an appetizer for longer ones

Examples of appetizer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Make sure to get the Bully Bites (gator tail for the uninitiated) as an appetizer. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2026

But that scene was just an appetizer for what was to come. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026

Happy Hour offers half off cocktails, $4 beers, $7 wine and 50 percent off appetizers. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026

Easier than Ina’s yet more fresh and flavorful than the packet version, this appetizer recipe is almost entirely hands-off thanks to Bev’s choice to bake. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

appetiz(ing) + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for appetizer

• advertiser
• analyser
• analyzer
• atomizer
• breathalyzer
• colonizer
• digitizer
• equalizer
• fertilizer
• localizer
• merchandiser
• moisturizer

Kids Definition

appetizer

noun

ap·​pe·​tiz·​er ˈap-ə-ˌtī-zər 

1

: a food or drink usually served before a meal to make one hungrier

2

: something that creates a desire for more