The main course is the featured or primary dish in a meal consisting of several courses. It usually follows the entrée ("entry") course. In the United States and parts of Canada, it may be called "entrée". The main dish is usually the heaviest, heartiest, and most complex or substantial dish on a menu. The main ingredient is usually meat, fish or another protein source. It is most often preceded by an appetizer, soup or salad, and followed by a dessert. For those reasons the main course is sometimes referred to as the "meat course".