Hors d'oeuvre

A hors d'oeuvre (/ɔːr ˈdɜːrv, -ˈdɜːrvrə/; French : hors d'œuvre, [also hors d'oevre] [ɔʁ dœvʁ] (About this sound listen)), appetizer or starter is a small dish served before a meal. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the meal, or they may be served before seating. Formerly, hors d'oeuvres were also served between courses.

Typically smaller than a main dish, it is often designed to be eaten by hand (with minimal use of cutlery).