Aperitif
Pronunciation: a-pe-ri-tif Also known as: Aperitiv, Apéro
A light, often bitter or dry drink before a meal, intended to stimulate the appetite.
An aperitif is drunk before a meal and is meant to whet the appetite. Typical are dry, slightly bitter or acidic drinks of moderate alcohol content, such as sparkling wine, dry wine, vermouth, bitter liqueur or spritz drinks. It is usually served chilled, often with olives or nibbles.
The word comes from the Latin aperire (to open). As the counterpart to the digestif, which is served after the meal, the aperitif belongs to the classic sequence of a menu. Whether it truly stimulates appetite is more tradition than proven effect.