menu

noun

ˈmen-(ˌ)yü 

ˈmān-

plural menus

1

a

: a list of the dishes that may be ordered (as in a restaurant) or that are to be served (as at a banquet)

b(1)

: a comparable list or assortment of offerings

a menu of television programs

(2)

: a list shown on the display of a computer from which a user can select the operation the computer is to perform

2

: the dishes available for or served at a meal

also : the meal itself

Synonyms

• card

Examples of menu in a Sentence

I'd like to see your lunch menu, please.

What's good on the menu today?

There are two chicken dishes under eight dollars listed on the menu.

a menu of television programs

You can save your work by choosing “Save” from the “File” menu.

Recent Examples on the Web

Family-friendly Offerings The lodge is open to children 10 and above but does not offer any special activities or menus for younger guests. —Kendall Hill, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2025

The beloved burger spot, known for its limited menu and animal-style offerings, is changing its popular strawberry shake and signature pink lemonade recipes to remove red dye No. 3, an In-N-Out spokesperson told The Times on Wednesday. —Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025

Also on offer is Italian dining at Sette Mari and customisable Mediterranean menus at Compass Rose. —Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

California fast food staple In-N-Out announced changes to some of its menu items, notably removing the food dye Red 40 from its pink lemonade. —James Powel, USA Today, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from menu small, detailed, from Old French — more at minuet

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing menu

• drop-down menu
• help menu
• menu bar
• menu-driven
• pull-down menu
• set menu
• sub-menu
• tasting menu

Rhymes for menu

• venue
• submenu

Kids Definition

menu

noun

ˈmen-yü 

ˈmān-

1

: a list of dishes served at or available for a meal

also : a similar list of offerings

a menu of TV programs

2

: the dishes served at a meal

3

: a list of computer operations shown on the display screen for a user to select from

a menu of printing options

Etymology

from French menu "a list of food dishes," from menu (adjective) "small, detailed," from Latin minutus "small" — related to minute

Word Origin

Many restaurants boast of having large menus, but the origin of the word menu actually suggests the idea of smallness. The origins of menu can be traced to the Latin adjective minutus, meaning "small." Minutus is also the source of our word minute. From minutus came the French adjective menu, which has several meanings including "small" and "detailed." The use of menu as a noun meaning "a list of food" probably came from the "detailed" sense of the adjective, since a menu is most often a detailed list.