entrée

noun

en·​trée ˈän-ˌtrā 

 also  än-ˈtrā

variants or entree

1

a

: the act or manner of entering : entrance

b

: freedom of entry or access

2

: the main course of a meal in the U.S.

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

• access
• accession
• admission
• admittance
• door
• doorway
• entrance
• entry
• gateway
• ingress
• key
• passport
• ticket

Examples of entrée in a Sentence

We had steak as an entrée.

entrée to the country club is through sponsorship by someone who is already a member

Recent Examples on the Web

Pastries start at $6 with breakfast and lunch entrees in the $14-$20 range. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025

Fat Joe Killer Mike See latest videos, charts and news Despite its compact size, the 11-track set is a hearty entree for rabid Joe supporters. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 7 Jan. 2025

Cotton Row is another dinnertime favorite serving oysters, salads, flavorful pastas, and entrees such as mushroom ravioli, beef short ribs, and hot honey salmon. —Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2025

Those who sign up for the Rewards program for the first time can also get a free 10-piece Chicken McNuggets entree with the first purchase (minimum of $1). —Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024

Premium Package: Choice of two entrees and three sides. —Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024

For the main entree, choose from adobo pork belly, uni pasta or kabocha squash gateau. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025

Swift and Kelce’s menu Our waiter, Juan, was attentive, from the drink service to the entrees. —Yvette Walker, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2025

Influenced by the dishes of the various countries, Cafe Athena offers a wide array of menu choices, including entrees, sandwiches, pizza, soups, salads, grape leaves, pita wraps, spreads, appetizers, sides, desserts and a kids menu. —Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French entrée, from Old French — more at entry

First Known Use

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

entrée

noun

en·​trée

variants or entree

ˈän-ˌtrā 

1

: the main dish of a meal

2

a

: entrance entry 1 sense 1

b

: freedom of entry

Etymology

from French entrée "act or manner of entering"