starter
High (B1)Neutral, used in both formal and informal contexts depending on the specific meaning.
Definition
Meaning
A person or thing that starts something; the first participant in an event or the first item in a series; a device for starting an engine.
In culinary contexts, a small dish served before the main course; in sports, the person who signals the beginning of a race; in a competition, someone who begins playing; in a conversation, a topic used to initiate discussion; a mixture for making sourdough bread.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning is agentive (someone or something that starts). Culinary usage is a specific, high-frequency meaning in UK English. The mechanical sense (starter motor) is technical but widely known.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The most notable difference is in dining: 'starter' (UK) vs. 'appetizer' (US). 'For starters...' as a discourse marker is common in both, but slightly more informal in the US. The racing official is 'starter' in both.
Connotations
In the UK, 'starter' is a neutral, standard term for the first course. In the US, using 'starter' in a restaurant might be understood but sounds slightly British or upscale.
Frequency
Overall frequency is high in both, but the culinary term is vastly more frequent in UK English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
starter for N (a starter for the main course)starter of N (a starter of soup)N + starter (a conversation starter)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “for starters (to begin with)”
- “under starter's orders (ready to begin a race)”
- “a non-starter (an idea/plan that is impractical from the beginning)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to an entry-level employee or a new company ('a tech starter').
Academic
Used in biology for a culture ('a bacterial starter') or in education ('a starter activity').
Everyday
Commonly refers to the first course of a meal or a person beginning a race.
Technical
Specifically refers to the electric motor that starts an internal combustion engine ('faulty starter').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A (not a verb)
American English
- N/A (not a verb)
adverb
British English
- N/A (not an adverb)
American English
- N/A (not an adverb)
adjective
British English
- N/A (not a standard adjective)
American English
- N/A (not a standard adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I had soup as a starter.
- The car needs a new starter.
- For starters, we need to discuss the budget.
- He was a slow starter at school but improved quickly.
- The government's proposal was a political non-starter.
- You'll need a sourdough starter to bake that bread.
- The project serves as a starter for ten in our broader sustainability initiative.
- Under starter's orders, the athletes tensed on their blocks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a STARTER pistol that starts a race. It STARTS the event.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEGINNING IS A STARTER (e.g., 'He was a late starter in his career').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'starter' as 'стартер' in culinary contexts when speaking to Americans; use 'appetizer'.
- The Russian loanword 'стартер' is only appropriate for the mechanical device.
- 'For starters' is a fixed phrase meaning 'во-первых', not a literal reference to food.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'starter' to mean 'beginner' in the sense of a novice person (use 'beginner' instead).
- Saying 'I ate a starter and a dessert' (illogical sequence; it's starter, main, dessert).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'starter' be LEAST likely in American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the context. 'Starter motor' is technical. 'For starters...' is informal. 'Starter' for a meal is neutral in the UK.
They mean the same thing: the first course of a meal. 'Starter' is British English, 'appetizer' is American English.
Rarely and usually in a specific compound like 'late starter'. For a novice, use 'beginner' or 'novice'.
It's an idiom meaning an idea, proposal, or plan that is completely impractical or has no chance of succeeding from the very beginning.
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Food and Cooking
A2 · 50 words · Cooking methods, kitchen tools and recipes.
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