Definition of "entrée"

ENTREES AND ENTREMETS. Usually, outside of France, entrees are side or corner dishes... In conclusion I again remark, entrees can be made from almost anything, the difference being, they are highly cooked and seasoned. Remember nothing large is served as an entree. There are game entrees, meat entrees, fish entrees, fowl entrees, etc.

1887, Estelle Woods Wilcox, Practical housekeeping: A careful compilation of tried and approved recipes (published in Dayton, Ohio, United States), page 457

Entree: The main course is normally beef, chicken, duck, or lamb, and you eat these foods with a dinner knife and dinner fork.

2007, Sue Fox, Etiquette for Dummies (published in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States), page 180

It was not by the aid of mules and porters, sedans and sledges, that the hero of Carthage made his entrée into Italy.

1796, John Owen, Owen's travels into different parts of Europe, in the years 1791 and 1792, page 307

Much as it is the fashion to deride the nobility, by decrying their morality and denying their ability, even by those who have the entrée, and therefore may be supposed to know them the best, in point of fact, at the present day, there are amongst them an immense proportion of good and sensible people.

1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, page 245

Burton conveniently afforded him entree into the world of art and those who buy it.

2008, Lyn Hamilton, The Chinese Alchemist, page 253