The principal dish of a meal in the U.S.
In North America an entre’e is the main dish of a meal; in Britain it is the dish served before the roast; and in France it is the third course, one usually served with a white or brown sauce. In a sense, it is the British use of the word that most nearly retains the original meaning of the word: an entree is literally the entrance to the meal proper (which means that the hors d’oeuvre and the fish dish that appear even before the entree are essentially the welcome mat and doorbell of the meal). The word entree was borrowed as a culinary term from French in the middle of the eighteenth century. However, four hundred years earlier, English had already taken the word from French and anglicized it as entry, a high class synonym for the older and more rustic close, meaning passageway. The ultimate source of the French entree is the Latin intrare, meaning to go in.
In a formal dining setting, the term “entremet” is utilized to describe a dish that is served in between the main courses of a dinner, such as between the fish and roast. However, in a more informal context, an entremet can refer to any dish, other than a roast, that is served as the main course of a meal.
An entrée, typically made with meat, poultry, game, fish, eggs, or vegetables, that is served with a sauce and garnish, and can be served either hot or cold. Examples of entrées include cutlets, fillets, croquettes, and quenelles.