hors-d'œuvre

hors-d'œuvre (plural hors-d'œuvre or hors-d'œuvres)

1. Alternative spelling of hors d'oeuvre

From hors (“outside”) +‎ d' (“of”) +‎ œuvre (“work, the main course”).

• ^{(aspirated h)} IPA^(key): /ɔʁ.d‿œvʁ/
• (France)

  (file)

  IPA^(key): /œ̃ ɔʁ.d‿œvʁ/ (un hors-d'œuvre)

hors-d'œuvre m (plural hors-d'œuvre)

1. (cooking) appetizer, starter, hors d'oeuvre (small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal)
2. (architecture) extension, appurtenance (room of a building that is not part of the main structure)
3. (literature) digression (act of straying from the main subject that could be removed from the text without detriment to the main plot)
4. (figuratively) addendum, extraneity, superfluity, accessory, hors-d'oeuvre (something additional or secondary to the main thing)

hors-d'œuvre (invariable)

1. (architecture) stand-alone (standing apart from the main body of a building)
2. (literature) off-topic, digressive (not pertaining directly to the subject at hand)