hors d'oeuvre

/ˌɔːˈdɜːv/

//ˌɔːˈdɜːv// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"hors-d-oeuvre" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hors d'oeuvre” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal.

Key facts for hors d'oeuvre
PropertyValue
Headwordhors d'oeuvre
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɔːˈdɜːv/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hors d'oeuvre” sits in English frequency

hors d'oeuvre falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

hors d'oeuvre is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɔːˈdɜːv/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

hors d'oeuvre has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French hors d'œuvre. The correct English form is hors d'oeuvre, spelled H-O-R-S- -D-'-O-E-U-V-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal.
  2. 2
    Anything of secondary concern; not the primary thing.
  3. 3
    Something unusual or extraordinary.

Etymology

Borrowed from French hors d'œuvre.

Synonyms

apéritifappetizerentréestartertapa

This word in other languages

aperitivo(Español)hors-d'œuvre(Français)Vorspeise(Deutsch)aperitivo(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hors d'oeuvre"?
"hors d'oeuvre" is spelled H-O-R-S- -D-'-O-E-U-V-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɔːˈdɜːv/.
What does "hors d'oeuvre" mean?
As a noun, "hors d'oeuvre" means: A small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal.
How do you pronounce "hors d'oeuvre"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hors d'oeuvre" is /ˌɔːˈdɜːv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "hors d'oeuvre"?
Borrowed from French hors d'œuvre. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “hors d'oeuvre”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-R-S- -D-'-O-E-U-V-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɔːˈdɜːv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list