hors

IPA/ˌɔː ˈdɜːv/
KK[hˈɔrz]IPA/ˌɔːr ˈdɝːv/

hors — noun

  • horssingular
  • horsesplural

1. a small portion of food that is salty or spicy rather than sweet, served as the

1.名詞B1
釋義

a small portion of food that is salty or spicy rather than sweet, served as the first course of a meal before the main dishes arrive

例句

For her dinner party, Nikhil prepared a seafood platter as the first hors.

first hors — served before the main meal

The restaurant's menu offered three types of hors, including a mushroom tart.

同義詞
  • appetizer

    more common and general term for small dishes before a meal

  • starter

    British English term for the first course of a meal

  • hors d'oeuvre

    the full, more formal version of the same word

反義詞
  • main course

    the large central dish that follows a starter

  • dessert

    the sweet course served at the end of a meal

用法筆記

Often used in the plural form 'hors' (same spelling) when referring to multiple items or a selection. This sense describes a proper first course at a sit-down meal, as distinct from casual finger food at a party.

常見錯誤

❌We had chocolate cake as our first hors.
✅We had a savoury tart as our first hors.
💡Hors are traditionally savoury, not sweet.
❌I ordered a large hors as my main course.
✅I ordered a light hors before the steak.
💡A hors is a small starter, not a full main dish.

2. small items of food, often served cold, that guests pick up and eat while standi

2.名詞B1
釋義

small items of food, often served cold, that guests pick up and eat while standing and talking together at a social gathering

例句

Tariq walked around the office party holding a plate of cold hors.

plate of hors — casual, self-service party food

The children grabbed the tiny sausage hors from the table before dinner.

同義詞
  • canapé

    a more formal term for small decorative party food, often on bread or pastry

  • finger food

    any food meant to be eaten with the hands at casual events

  • nibbles

    British informal term for small snacks served with drinks

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 refers to casual finger food at a party or reception where guests stand and mingle, while sense 1 describes a seated first course at a meal.

常見錯誤

❌She ate a whole plate of hors as a full meal.
✅She had a few hors at the party before the buffet opened.
💡Hors at a party are light snacks, not a replacement for a meal.