entrée

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The main dish of a meal.
• noun A dish served in formal dining immediately before the main course or between two principal courses.
• noun The act of entering.
• noun The power, permission, or liberty to enter; admittance.
• noun An opening or introductory movement at the beginning of a dance such as a pas de deux.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun An old dance resembling the polonaise, or the music for it.
• noun An obsolete form of entry.
• noun Entry; freedom of access: as, the entrée of a house.
• noun A made dish served at the dinner-table between the chief courses.
• noun In music: Formerly, a slow composition, in march rhythm, usually in two parts, each repeated: so called because often used to accompany the entry of processions in operas and ballets.
• noun An introduction or a prelude; especially, in an opera or a ballet, the next movement after the overture; an intrada.
• noun The act of entering; entrance: as, his entrée was very effective.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun A coming in, or entrance; hence, freedom of access; permission or right to enter.
• noun (Cookery), obsolescent In French usage, a dish served at the beginning of dinner to give zest to the appetite; in English usage, a side dish, served with a joint, or between the courses, as a cutlet, scalloped oysters, etc.
• noun the dish which comprises the main course of a meal, especially in a restaurant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun Canada the main course or main dish of a meal
• noun chiefly UK, French Canada, Australia, New Zealand (historical, US, Canada) a smaller dish served before the main course of a meal.
• noun The act of entering somewhere, or permission to enter; admittance

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the principal dish of a meal
• noun the act of entering
• noun the right to enter
• noun something that provides access (to get in or get out)