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

• access
• accession
• admission
• admittance
• door
• doorway
• entrance
• entry
• gateway
• ingress
• key
• passport
• ticket

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

The menu of salads, sandwiches, vegetable plates and several entrees doesn’t read as radical or idiosyncratic. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024

The menu also offers breakfast, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, soup, and entrees. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 15 Mar. 2024

The brewpub offers a full menu of small plates, entrees and salads, and there’s live music and trivia contests on Wednesdays. —Jay R. Brooks, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024

The family-friendly restaurant offers a range of appetizers, taters, tacos, sandwiches, sliders and entrees with meats such as ribs, brisket, chicken and pork, according to the menu. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 8 Mar. 2024

The Asian influence continues in other entrees, too. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024

The expansion saw over 100 new items introduced to Dollar General shelves, including entrees, sauces, condiments and more. —Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

The single-page menu features mimosas and Bloody Marys to drink alongside entrees like lobster toast, smoked salmon latkes (potato pancakes) and New York strip steak and eggs. —The Indianapolis Star, 20 Mar. 2024

The dining room menu features fresh seafood dishes and a variety of steak entrees. —Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024

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"