three-course meal

Appetizer, entrée, dessert

A three-course meal is a meal served in three distinct stages, typically an appetizer or soup, a main dish, and dessert.

The format suggests a more formal or complete dining experience than eating everything at once: The restaurant offers a three-course meal for $45.

Variations include four-course, five-course, and beyond for elaborate occasions.

Related

Italian cuisine · table setting · dinner service · tasting menu · dessert · wine pairing · wedding reception · sit-down dinner · prix fixe · plating · amuse-bouche · salad · side dish · bread roll · business lunch · family gathering · starter · grilling

Opposites
meal elaborateness/formality

three-course mealsnack

Light between-meal fare

quick bite · nibble · fast food · grab-and-go · TV dinner

portion structure

three-course mealcasserole

Slow-cooked oven dish

stew · soup · sandwich · wrap

eating context/occasion

three-course mealdesk lunch

Eating while working

protein bar · fasting · going hungry · starvation

Family

three, course, meal, thrice, thirds, thirdly, courses, coursed, coursing

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G