Menu
A list of dishes available in a restaurant; a list of options
Language Origin
French / Latin
Entered English
19thth century
The Story Behind the Word
Menu comes from the French menu, meaning "small" or "detailed." It derives from the Latin minutus (small, minute). The idea was that a menu was a "small, detailed list" — a miniature breakdown of what was available.
Before printed menus existed, there was a single large board (the carte) listing all dishes. A menu, by contrast, was a personal small card specifying what that particular table would be served — a customized bill of fare. The phrase "à la carte" (ordering from the board) vs "set menu" preserves this old distinction.
In computing, the metaphor transferred perfectly: a menu is a list of options from which you choose.
Example in Context
"The waiter handed them the menu and recommended the chef's special."
Did You Know?
The word "minute" (as in 60 seconds) and "minute" (as in tiny/small) are the same word — both from Latin *minutus*. The same root gives us "menu."