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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
Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2024
Through Saturday: Dine Latino Restaurant Week offers diners a free dessert or appetizer with the purchase of two entrees at select restaurants.
—Mike D'onofrio, Axios, 16 Sep. 2024
The Nestle brand, which celebrated its centennial in June, has spent the past 70 years focused on frozen entrees, such as pizzas, lasagna and macaroni and cheese.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2024
The best part about Southern breakfasts is the ability to pair sweet items with savory dishes that might otherwise be seen as dinner entrees.
—Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. 2024
Other entrees include orange chicken and rice ($12.99), a tuna salad sandwich ($10.99) and chicken wings ($11.99).
—Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 22 July 2024
Dimly lit and brimming with vintage artwork and eclectic decor, this beloved basement restaurant has an array of burgers, sandwiches, and other entrees.
—Justine Harrington, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2024
The oysters are served as an appetizer a la carte at the bar for $44, while an entree portion is available for $55.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 13 Aug. 2024
Simple steps, like reading the menu in advance or ordering two appetizers instead of an entree, can help ensure a balanced diet when eating out.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 30 July 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 2 Oct. 2024.
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entrée
nounfrom French entrée "act or manner of entering"
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