3 syllables: En, tre, mets. Stress on tre.
en-TREM-ets
/ɛnˈtɹɛmɛts/
Entremets is pronounced en-TREM-ets (/ɛnˈtɹɛmɛts/). It has three syllables (En-tre-mets), with the stress on "tre". Entremets is a plural noun in pastry contexts, referring to layered, refined desserts served after the main course. Traditionally French in origin, entremets are elaborate, bidirectional desserts that showcase mousse, sponge, and creamy fillings. The term contrasts with entremets’ savory equivalents and is used in professional patisserie to denote a plated, multi-component dessert course.
nounEntremets is a plural noun in pastry contexts, referring to layered, refined desserts served after the main course. Traditionally French in origin, entremets are elaborate, bidirectional desserts that showcase mousse, sponge, and creamy fillings. The term contrasts with entremets’ savory equivalents and is used in professional patisserie to denote a plated, multi-component dessert course.
"The chef plated a trio of entremets, each with a distinct chocolate, fruit, and praline profile."
"In the pastry competition, her entremets earned top marks for texture and balance."
"We sampled several entremets, appreciating the delicate layers and glossy finishes."
Pronunciation: /ˌɑ̃tʁəˈmɛts/ (US, UK, and AU often align on the latter syllable). The stress falls on the second-to-last syllable: en-TRAY-mayts with the French nasal first vowel. Start with a nasal open front vowel [ɑ̃], then a voiced uvular/fricative /ʁ/ or approximant, a schwa-like /ə/, and finish with /mɛts/ where /ɛ/ is a mid-front lax vowel and final /ts/ is a crisp voiceless affricate. Audio cues: imagine saying “on-truh-MEH-TS” with a soft French flair. For accuracy, listen to a native French patisserie chef saying entremets and mimic the rhythm.
Common mistakes: 1) Anglicizing the initial nasal to a plain ‘a’ as in 'ants' instead of the nasal /ɑ̃/. 2) Dropping the final /t/ or softening to /mɛts/ to /met/; ensure you release the final /ts/ crisp. 3) Treating the middle /ʁə/ as a simple /rə/ or /rəˈ/ without French rhotics; aim for a French uvular /ʁ/ or close approximation. Corrections: nasalize the first vowel properly; enunciate the final /ts/ clearly; produce a short but audible /ʁ/ in the middle. Practicing with a tutor or audio model will help lock these in.
Across accents, the main differences are final consonant release and rhoticity. US: typically /ˌɑ̃tɹəˈmɛts/ with a rhotic /ɹ/ and clear final /ts/. UK: may retain a stronger French influence, often approximating /ˌɒ̃tʁəˈmɛts/ with a softer or less rhotic vowel and a clearer /ʁ/; final /ts/ remains. AU: similar to US but can be flatter in stress and vowel quality, with a slightly wider /æ/ or /a/ before nasal vowel. Overall, US and UK share the -mets ending; AU often softens the preceding vowel and may be less rhotic.
It is difficult due to two features: a nasal vowel at the start and a tricky French /ʁ/ articulation. The nasal /ɑ̃/ requires shaping the soft palate while maintaining nasal resonance; the French /ʁ/ is often realized as a uvular trill or fricative, which is unfamiliar to many English speakers. The final /ts/ is an affricate that isn’t common in English, so many omit or soften it. Practice with IPA guidance and mimic native French patisserie voices to master the sound.
The stress pattern centers on the penultimate syllable in French loanwords: en-TRÉ-mets; the second syllable carries the primary stress, with the vowels more prominent. The initial nasal is light and quick. In English adaptation, you might hear an even distribution, but for authentic pronunciation, place emphasis on the /ˈmɛts/ tail, ensuring the second syllable stands out slightly.
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Entremets comes from the French entremets, literally meaning ‘between courses’ (entre = between; mets = courses or dishes). Historically, in medieval and early modern banquets, an entremets were interludes of elaborate dishes or entertainments served between main courses. The modern culinary sense shifted to a refined, multi-layered dessert. The earliest attestations appear in French culinary literature of the 17th century, when chefs began codifying plated desserts as separate courses. Over time, the word spread to professional patisserie globally, often retained in French form in menus and cookbook titles. The term reflects a tradition of spectacle and precision in dessert construction, emphasizing texture contrasts (soft mousse vs. crisp sponge) and visual elegance. In contemporary kitchens, entremets are associated with precise pastry technique, laboratory-like preparation sequences, and the use of stabilizers and gelées to achieve perfectly uniform slices. First known uses appear in culinary dictionaries and manuscripts from French chefs of the 1600s and 1700s, with broader usage expanding in the 19th and 20th centuries as French patisserie influenced global dessert culture.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Entremets" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Entremets"
-nts sounds
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