You can do this with just CSS
Just set display:none
on that option
<select>
<option style='display: none;'>Options</option>
<option>Settings 1</option>
<option>Settings 2</option>
<option>Settings 3</option>
</select>
The reason WHY this works is because the option which is displayed within the select box isn't the actual option element itself, it's just a copy of the selected option.
(Hint: look at the the image which the OP posted)
Now by default, the first option is the selected one - so it is displayed in the select box, however when you open the select box - you don't see it as an option - because it has display:none
. Similarly, if you select an option - you'll won't see the first one anymore - because there's no way to select it.