entrée

Ah, entrée! This little French import can be delightfully confusing. In the United States, it almost always means the main dish you order at a restaurant, like your steak, pasta, or salmon. But in French, and in some other dining traditions, an entrée is actually the first course: think soup, salad, or a small starter. It comes before the main event.

The word comes from the French verb entrer, meaning "to enter." Beyond the menu, it can also mean a "way in" to a social circle or a particular place. Whether you are talking about a meal or a formal group, an entrée is, at heart, something that lets you enter.

The word entrée has a fascinating split personality depending on where you are in the world. In American English, it almost exclusively refers to the main course of a meal—the dish you order after appetizers and before dessert. You might say, "For my entrée, I'll have the roasted chicken." It has become synonymous with "main dish" in most US restaurants and cookbooks.

However, in French, entrée refers to the first course served: a starter or appetizer. This could be anything from a light soup to a pâté. In that setting, the main course is the plat principal. This difference can lead to amusing misunderstandings; imagine ordering an entrée in Paris expecting a hearty steak, only to receive a small bowl of onion soup instead.

Beyond the dining table, entrée carries a second, more formal meaning: the right of admission or the power to enter a particular group or place. For example, one might "gain entrée into the halls of power."

Historically, the word comes from Old French and is tied to the idea of entering. It is a good reminder that language shifts with time and place. So, when you see entrée on a menu, pay attention to where you are, or ask your server for clarification if you're unsure whether you're about to receive a starter or the main event.