A drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite (also spelled aperitif).
From French 'apéritif,' derived from Latin 'aperitivus' meaning 'opening.' The term comes from 'aperire' (to open), since the drink was meant to open or prepare the appetite for eating.
The French have a whole tradition of sipping something refreshing before dinner—it's basically a drink designed to make your stomach say 'I'm ready to eat!' before the food even arrives.
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