Hors d'œuvre
From Freepedia
Hors d'œuvre (or alternatively appetizer or starter) refer to the food served before or outside of (French: hors d') the main dishes of a meal (the œuvre). The purpose of the hors d'œuvre is to whet the appetite; if there is a long waiting period between when the guests arrive and when the meal is served (for example, during a cocktail hour), these might also serve the purpose of sustaining guests during the long wait.
Hors d'œuvre may be served at the table, for example as a part of the sit-down meal, or they may be served before sitting at the table.
A more substantial starter or first course served at the table might be referred to as an entrée according to Commonwealth English usage of the term.
Hors d'œuvre might include:
Antipasto
Antipasto is the Italian word for hors d'œuvre, meaning "before the meal". In Italian cuisine, this typically consists of cold foods such as cheeses and raw or marinated vegetables, as well as meats, especially cured meats such as prosciutto. The term in this case often includes salad, but not always.
Antipasto translates literally as "before the meal" not "before the pasta". The italian word for meal (any meal) is "pasto". "pasta" is a completely different word: any preparation made of flour, water and other ingredients which has been shaped and dried.
