café

¹

Or ca·fe

[ka-fey, kuh-, ka-fey]

noun

plural

cafés 

1. a small, unpretentious restaurant, often with exterior seating on a patio or extending onto the sidewalk.

   Synonyms: tearoom, lunchroom, bistro, coffeehouse

2. coffee.

   I pick up a café and a croissant on my commute in to work every morning.

CAFE

²

[ka-fey, kuh-]

noun

1. a U.S. federally mandated standard of average minimum miles-per-gallon fuel consumption for all the cars produced by an automobile manufacturer in a given year.

café

/ ˈkæfeɪ, ˈkæfɪ /

noun

1. a small or inexpensive restaurant or coffee bar, serving light meals and refreshments

2. a corner shop or grocer

Spelling Note

See resume ².

Word History and Origins

Origin of café¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from French: literally, “coffee”; coffee

Origin of café²

C(orporate) A(verage) F(uel) E(conomy)

Word History and Origins

Origin of café¹

C19: from French: _coffee

Example Sentences

Muir Woods was able to reopen for a nine-day period beginning last week, thanks to a donation from a coalition of concessionaires that operate the park’s parking, cafe, gift shop and tours.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Justin Unger, senior vice president for strategy at ExplorUS, which operates the Muir Woods Trading Co.’s cafe and gift shop, said the company is donating funds to keep employees working, maintain concession operations and reopen the park for visitors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"It's been our busiest year yet for Halloween," says cafe and gift shop owner Charlotte Brennan.

Read more on BBC

He has cut roughly 2,000 corporate jobs and laid off thousands of baristas, while shrinking the company’s U.S. cafe footprint.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Picture yourself chatting with a friend in a crowded café.

Read more on Science Daily