An appetizer is the
first part of a
meal, designed to boost the
appetite of the
diner. It tends to be a
small amount of
food. The idea is that this
stimulates the
mouth to produce
saliva and the
stomach to produce
acid ready for the arrival of food in the
main course. These reactions in the body make a person feel physically ready to eat, but the flavour in the appetizer also stimulates the mind and
inspires the correct
mood for tucking into some
delicious food. It provides a
taste of what is to come.
The term is also sometimes used to refer to anything that provides people with a suggestion of something good on it's way. A preview of a film may be called an appetizer or mild flirtation on a date may be considered an appetizer, rasing anticipation of activities to come.
This is one of those words that we spell differently in British English, as appetiser.