food eaten to pique the appetite or to moderate the hunger stimulated by drink. Cocktails, especially apéritifs, the characteristic “dryness” of which allegedly stimulates the appetite, are customarily served with appetizers. Hors d'oeuvres, small portions of savoury foods, often highly seasoned, and canapés, small pieces of bread, crackers, or croutons with various toppings, are the classic appetizer categories.

The Scandinavian smorgasbord, Spanish tapas, Greek meze, Egyptian mazza, and Russian zakuska are all elaborate appetizer displays offering many dishes, with traditional beverage counterpoints, e.g., vodka or sherry. Many cuisines offer a mixed hors d'oeuvre, of which the Italian antipasto may be the best-known, made up of such foods as olives, nuts, cheese, sausage, peppers, fish, raw vegetables, and eggs. Crudités are raw or barely cooked vegetables, often served with a dip or sauce.

Because appetizers are intended to be provocative, they enable the diner to enjoy foods that are too pronounced in taste or too rich to be eaten in larger quantities.