entrée

noun

en·​trée ˈän-ˌtrā 

also än-ˈtrā

variants or entree

1

a

: the act or manner of entering : entrance

b

: freedom of entry or access

2

: the main course of a meal in the U.S.

Did you know?

The culinary sense of entrée can be traced back to 18th-century Britain. In those days a formal dinner could include not only the principal courses of soup, fish, meat, and dessert, but also an impressive array of side dishes. Between the fish and meat courses would come a small side dish, and because this secondary dish came immediately before the centerpiece of the meal, it was called the entrée, being, in effect, the entrance to the really important part of the meal. As dining habits have changed, meals have become simpler, and fewer courses are served. However, in the US, the course following the appetizer continued to be called the entrée, perhaps because it is a French word, and anything French always sounds elegant.

Synonyms of entrée

• access
• entry
• admission
• accession
• entrance

Examples of entrée in a Sentence

We had steak as an entrée.

entrée to the country club is through sponsorship by someone who is already a member

Recent Examples on the Web

All were treated to an exquisite seated dinner of tropical fruit salad and surf-and-turf entrees. —Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Open since 1961 and still family-owned, the Honolulu institution remains a favorite among locals and visitors alike, serving classic combinations of rice, macaroni salad and protein-rich entrees. —Staff, USA Today, 8 June 2026

In simple terms, his mother and her second husband had raised him an an upper-class Brit, hence his easy entree into London’s theater scene and his ability to cut a dashing path. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

Creamy, nutty, and shelf-stable, peanut butter is a pantry staple that's versatile enough to incorporate into smoothies, breakfast dishes, sandwiches, desserts, savory entrees, or even to mix into cocktails. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 June 2026

Ladies get a free bottle of bubbly with purchase of an entree. —Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 3 June 2026

Instead, a stunningly beautiful Ora King premium salmon in yuzu bitter sauce was one of the best entrees to be found in Arlington. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026

Categories include appetizer, entree, salad, soup, side dish or other. —Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 2 June 2026

Pricing varies depending on which tasting menu and which entrees are ordered. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French entrée, from Old French — more at entry

First Known Use

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

entrée

noun

en·​trée

variants or entree

ˈän-ˌtrā 

1

: the main dish of a meal

2

a

: entrance entry 1 sense 1

b

: freedom of entry

Etymology

from French entrée "act or manner of entering"