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
Examples of entrée in a Sentence
Shannon Greene, Charlotte Observer, 5 July 2024
Other new entrees include lamp chop and a porterhouse steak.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 28 June 2024
But the vast majority of entrees will be more affordable options such as Chicken Fingers ($15), a Salmon Club ($19) and Chicken Pot Pie ($19).
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 27 June 2024
Its decor is a quirky blend of vintage and modern styles, with an upbeat soundtrack added, and a menu of entrees.
—Maddi Langweil, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
Women get a free bottle of bubbly with purchase of an entree.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2024
This includes: 20 entrees that include eight seafood dishes.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2024
There’s Class Inside That Glass of Tang A scholar examines kitschy American foods as an entree into a conversation about class in the United States.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
Bell, husband Tim and daughter Sadie planned to dine in Thursday evening and also get a takeout order of the Toscana entree for her mother, Dorothy Kornder.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 20 June 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near entrée
Cite this Entry
“Entrée.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entr%C3%A9e. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
entrée
nounfrom French entrée "act or manner of entering"
Share