starter

starter — noun

1. a light dish eaten at the very start of a meal, for example soup, salad, or spri

1.nounA2
Definition

a light dish eaten at the very start of a meal, for example soup, salad, or spring rolls, followed later by the main course

Example

For a starter, Nikos ordered the garlic mushrooms with a side salad.

The menu offered six different starters, including spring rolls and fried calamari.

countable noun with number: 'six different starters'

Common collocations
  • light starter
  • starter menu
  • order a starter
  • share a starter
  • starter portion
Synonyms
  • appetizer

    more common in American English; 'starter' is primarily British

  • first course

    slightly more formal; used in fine-dining menus

  • hors d'oeuvre

    refers to smaller, finger-food items often served before a meal, not always a plated first course

Antonyms
  • main course

    the main dish that follows the starter

  • dessert

    the sweet course served at the end of a meal

Usage Note

In American English, the more common word is 'appetizer' rather than 'starter'.

Common Mistakes

I had a starter for my main course.
I had a starter before the main course.
a starter is the first dish, not the main dish.

2. any person, animal, or team that starts a race or competition, whether or not th

2.nounB1
Definition

any person, animal, or team that starts a race or competition, whether or not they finish the whole event

Example

Only eight of the twelve horses finished the race, though all were starters.

contrast: all twelve were starters but only eight finished

Dahlia was a last-minute starter in the marathon after her teammate pulled out.

compound: last-minute starter

Common collocations
  • late starter
  • all starters
  • among the starters
Synonyms
  • contestant

    more general; can apply to any competition, not just races

  • competitor

    emphasizes the competitive aspect rather than just being present at the start

  • participant

    broader term; a starter is specifically one who begins the event

Antonyms
  • non-starter

    someone expected to compete but who did not begin

  • finisher

    someone who completes the race

Usage Note

Commonly used in sports commentary and race reporting. A 'non-starter' is someone who was expected to compete but did not actually begin.

3. a person who has recently started a new job, role, or activity and therefore has

3.nounB1
Definition

a person who has recently started a new job, role, or activity and therefore has little experience

Example

As a starter at the design firm, Eve spent her first week learning the software.

pattern: as a starter at + [place]

The pottery course is designed for starters who have never touched clay before.

Common collocations
  • new starter
  • complete starter
  • young starter
Synonyms
  • beginner

    more general; sounds natural in any variety of English

  • novice

    slightly more formal; suggests someone at the very earliest stage

  • newcomer

    focuses on being new to a group or place rather than lack of skill

Antonyms
  • veteran

    someone with long experience

  • expert

    someone with advanced skill or knowledge

Usage Note

In British workplace English, 'new starter' is a common term for a new employee. In other contexts, 'beginner' or 'novice' is more widely used.

Common Mistakes

The starter machine broke.' (meaning a beginner)
The new employee joined today.
'starter' for a person is mainly British; in American English it can cause confusion with the engine part.

4. an electric motor in a vehicle that turns the engine to get it running when the

4.nounB1
Definition

an electric motor in a vehicle that turns the engine to get it running when the driver turns the key or pushes a button

Example

When Tuan turned the key, the starter made a clicking sound but nothing happened.

symptom-description pattern: starter + made + [sound]

The mechanic said the starter needed to be replaced before the car would start again.

Common collocations
  • starter motor
  • faulty starter
  • replace the starter
  • car starter
  • starter problem
Synonyms

Usage Note

In automotive contexts, this is sometimes called the 'starter motor'. A 'starter problem' (engine won't crank) is different from a 'battery problem' (lights dim, no clicking).

Common Mistakes

The starter in my fridge broke.
The starter in my car broke.
a starter is a part of an internal combustion engine, not a refrigerator.

5. the race official responsible for telling competitors when they may begin, often

5.nounB1
Definition

the race official responsible for telling competitors when they may begin, often using a starting pistol, a flag, or a shouted command

Example

The starter raised a red flag and shouted, 'On your marks, get set, go!'

action sequence with quoted commands

Eric watched the starter fire the pistol into the air to signal the start.

Common collocations
  • starter's gun
  • starter's pistol
  • starter's flag
Synonyms
  • race official

    broader term; includes all officials at an event, not just the one giving the start signal

Usage Note

Unlike sense 2 (RACE PARTICIPANT), this sense refers to the person who controls the start, not someone who runs in the race.

Common Mistakes

The starter ran the 100-metre race.
The starter fired the gun to begin the 100-metre race.
a starter is the official who gives the signal, not the runner.

6. an object or set of materials designed to help someone begin a new activity or p

6.nounB1
Definition

an object or set of materials designed to help someone begin a new activity or project easily

Example

Feng bought a plant starter kit that included pots, soil, and seeds.

compound noun: plant starter kit

The software includes a project starter template for first-time users.

Common collocations
  • starter kit
  • starter pack
  • starter set
  • conversation starter
  • plant starter
Synonyms

Usage Note

Often found in compound nouns: 'conversation starter' (a topic that gets people talking), 'starter kit', 'starter pack'.

7. a mix of live bacteria or yeast that is added to foods to make them ferment, use

7.nounB2
Definition

a mix of live bacteria or yeast that is added to foods to make them ferment, used in making items like yogurt, cheese, sourdough, or kimchi at home

Example

Ayana kept her sourdough starter alive by feeding it flour and water each week.

collocation: sourdough starter

To make yogurt at home, you need a starter that contains live bacteria cultures.

Common collocations
  • sourdough starter
  • yogurt starter
  • starter culture
  • feed the starter
  • live starter
Synonyms
  • culture

    shorter term used in commercial food production; 'starter culture' is the full form

  • mother

    informal term used by home bakers for a sourdough starter kept over a long period

  • leaven

    historical term for a fermented mixture used to raise bread dough

Usage Note

This is a specialist food term. Home bakers often refer to their 'starter' as if it were a pet — they 'feed' it, 'discard' part of it, and keep it at room temperature or in the fridge.

Idioms

for starters

idiom

used to introduce the first and most obvious reason, example, or point in a list, especially when you are annoyed or impatient

We cannot go on holiday this year — for starters, we simply do not have the money.

For starters, the report is full of factual errors, and secondly the conclusions are weak.

under starter's orders

idiom

used to describe competitors in a race who are ready and waiting for the official signal to begin

The horses were under starter's orders, standing tensely at the gate.

The runners crouched on the track, under starter's orders and holding their breath.

under starter’s orders

idiom

Ready and waiting for the official signal to begin a race.

The horses stood under starter's orders at the racetrack.

Are the runners under starter's orders yet?

starter — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Starter', 'appetizer', and 'first course' all refer to food served before the main dish, but they differ in region and formality. 'Starter' is the standard term in British English and is used on pub and restaurant menus throughout the UK, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries. 'Appetizer' dominates American English and is also common in international fine dining. 'First course' is more formal and appears on multi-course tasting menus in upscale restaurants. 'Hors d'oeuvre' refers to small finger foods served before sitting down to a meal, often at cocktail parties — they are not a plated first course. 'Antipasto' is specific to Italian cuisine and usually consists of cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables. A simple rule: in a British pub ask for 'starters'; at an American restaurant ask for 'appetizers'; at a formal dinner look for 'first course' on the menu.

appetizerfirst coursehors d'oeuvreantipasto

Common collocations

Nouns

  • starter home
  • starter kit
  • starter pack
  • starter set
  • starter motor

Phrases

Prepositions

  • as a starter
  • for a starter

Etymology

EnglishOld EnglishGermanic

The word 'starter' comes from the verb 'start' (meaning 'to begin') plus the agent suffix '-er', meaning 'one that starts'. It first appeared in English in the 1400s meaning 'one who sets something in motion'. The racing-official sense dates from the 1700s, and the food sense (a first dish) emerged in British English around the late 1800s. The automotive 'starter motor' sense appeared in the early 1900s when electric starters replaced hand cranks in cars. The adjective use — meaning 'basic or entry-level' — comes from the 1900s marketing term 'starter home' for a first, affordable house.