cater

verb

ca·​ter ˈkā-tər How to pronounce cater (audio)
catered; catering; caters
Synonyms of cater

intransitive verb

1
: to provide a supply of food
cater for a large party
2
: to supply what is required or desired
catering to middle-class tastes

transitive verb

: to provide food and service for
catered the banquet
caterer
ˈkā-tər-ər How to pronounce cater (audio)
noun

Synonyms of cater

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Examples of cater in a Sentence

The restaurant caters for parties. A local restaurant catered the banquet. The awards ceremony will be a catered event.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moments later, an unbothered Brown flung himself around the stadium, catering directly to his adoring, unwavering fans. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Wynn Resorts, which caters almost exclusively to high-end customers, has opted to maintain its high room rates in Las Vegas even as visitation has slowed over the past year, rather than filling every room with travelers looking for a bargain. — Contessa Brewer,ryan Ruggiero, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 Tina, however, chose to cater the event herself, serving Filipino food and dessert. — Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Optional filters can be slotted in each module (when available) to suppress city lighting, adjust for solar imagery, and cater for different wavelengths. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cater

Word History

Etymology

obsolete cater buyer of provisions, from Middle English catour, short for acatour, from Anglo-French, from acater to buy — more at cate

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cater was in 1580

Phrases Containing cater

Rhymes for cater

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Browse Nearby Words

catenative
cater
cateran
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cater. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cater

verb
ca·​ter ˈkāt-ər How to pronounce cater (audio)
1
: to provide a supply of food
cater for parties
2
: to supply what is wanted or needed
caterer
-ər-ər How to pronounce cater (audio)
noun
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