Meze is a word that mainly refers to small dishes of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, typically served as a starter or a snack. There are many synonyms for the word "meze" that denote similar food items. Some common synonyms are tapas, antipasti, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, small plates, and bites. Tapas is a Spanish word that denotes small dishes of food, while antipasti is an Italian word used to describe various appetizers served before a meal. Appetizers and hors d'oeuvres are also terms commonly used in English to refer to small portions of food served before the main course. Small plates and bites are modern expressions often used by trendy restaurants to describe their meze or tapas dishes.