To stimulate or arouse the appetite or desire for something.
From French appétiser, derived from appétit (appetite). The suffix -ize means 'to make' or 'to cause to be.' This verb form emerged in the 17th century as a way to describe the action of making someone hungry or desirous.
This is where 'appetizer' comes from! When a restaurant serves you something small before the main course, they're literally trying to 'appetize' you—to make you hungry for more. The verb came first, then someone realized they could turn it into a noun for the food itself.
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