What does appetiser mean?
An appetiser is a small dish or drink served at the beginning of a meal, intended to stimulate the diner's appetite rather than satisfy it. Typical examples include soups, salads, canapés, olives, or smoked salmon — portions deliberately modest so they prepare the palate without filling the stomach. The word is the standard British spelling, pronounced /ˈæpɪtaɪzə/, while American English writes it as "appetizer"; both derive from the Latin verb appetere, meaning to strive after or desire, the same root behind "appetite". In restaurants, the appetiser occupies the first course position, often listed separately from mains, and synonyms include "starter" and "hors d'oeuvre". Beyond the table, the word has developed a useful figurative life: journalists and speakers use it to describe any short preview that whets interest in something larger to come, as when a teaser trailer serves as an appetiser for a forthcoming film. This blend of culinary precision and metaphorical flexibility makes it a versatile and evocative term.
A small dish of food or a drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
"Melon wrapped in prosciutto made a refreshing summer appetiser."
British spelling; Americans write "appetizer". Often interchangeable with "starter" in British usage, though "starter" more specifically denotes the first formal course.
Something that provides a preliminary taste or foretaste of a larger experience to come.
"The two-song set was merely an appetiser ahead of next month's full tour."
A figurative extension of the culinary sense, common in journalism, marketing, and casual speech.
Standard plural; commonly used when several small dishes are offered together, e.g. on a shared platter or tasting menu.
"The banquet opened with a selection of cold appetisers arranged on slate boards."
The word literally means something that 'whets' your appetite — it comes from the same Latin root that gives us 'appetite', so an appetiser is quite literally an appetite-awakener.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of appetiser
Appetiser derives from the Latin verb appetere, meaning to strive eagerly toward or desire, which also produced the noun appetitus, the source of English "appetite". The English word took shape in the early nineteenth century from the verb "appetize", meaning to whet the appetite, with the agent suffix -er yielding one who or that which stimulates hunger. It entered English through French influence on culinary vocabulary, alongside related terms such as hors d'oeuvre. Its closest cognates are appetite, appetizing, and the rarer appetency, all tracing back to the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How appetiser is actually used
"Appetiser" with an -s- is the standard British spelling; American English uses "appetizer" with a -z-. The word carries a convivial, slightly formal register in dining contexts, though it appears freely in everyday restaurant talk. The figurative sense (something that whets interest in what follows) is common in journalism and speech.
Easily confused with appetiser
Appetite is the desire or feeling of hunger itself, while an appetiser is the food served to arouse that desire.
An appetiser opens a meal, whereas a dessert concludes it; both are small courses but sit at opposite ends of the menu.