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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.
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Examples of entrée in a Sentence
Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2023
At his restaurants, which include nearly 20 locations in northern Virginia and suburban Maryland, the items on the kids’ menus are priced lower with the hope of enticing families, including moms and dads who will order full-sized entrees — and maybe an extra appetizer or glass of wine.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023
The Farmer’s Rail 98 Main St., Hudson The Farmer’s Rail is a butcher shop known for its artisanal meats, but the menu at its Hudson location features must-try entrees for dining customers.
—Alex Darus, cleveland, 11 Sep. 2023
After your choice of salad, decide among three entree options that come with Mexican rice and refried beans: carne asada fajitas, birria enchiladas or a taco trio featuring crispy beef, carne asada and al pastor.
—Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 7 Sep. 2023
Once upon a time, running a college meal service was fairly straightforward: Put out one entree, one dessert, maybe a salad bar.
—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
For those with a bigger appetite, the plated entrees, priced from $13.75 to $15.25, include Mongolian beef, honey walnut shrimp, kung pao chicken and chow mein noodles.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023
A day job as correspondent for Billboard magazine brought him unexpected status and entree to the local music scene.
—Glenn Rifkin, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2023
It is known for items such as hibachi steak and shrimp burritos, sriracha shredded pork nachos and Nashville hot chicken burritos, as well as customizable entrees.
—cleveland, 1 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entrée.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Entrée.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entr%C3%A9e. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
entrée
nounfrom French entrée "act or manner of entering"
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