à la carte
Americanadjective
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with a separate price for each dish offered on the menu.
dinner à la carte.
-
with a separate price for each item on a list.
Spa treatments can be booked à la carte, or you can choose one of our packages.
adjective
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(of a menu or a section of a menu) having dishes listed separately and individually priced Compare table d'hôte
-
(of a dish) offered on such a menu; not part of a set meal
Etymology
Origin of à la carte
First recorded in 1815–20; from French: literally, “according to the menu”; see origin at carte
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Diners can choose between two omakase menus, with optional nigiri add-ons, late-night alternatives and à la carte selections.
From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026
Our A.I. future probably won’t be à la carte, and for now we’ve already ordered the whole thing.
From Slate ● Feb. 10, 2026
While Williams-Sonoma offers a number of complete Thanksgiving dinners for delivery—including one featuring a Cajun-style fried turkey, and another with a honey-glazed ham—the kitchenware and gourmet-food retailer also offers dozens of à la carte offerings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2025
Speaking of La Première, those in this ultra-exclusive cabin have a dedicated private area just to themselves with à la carte dining and seating for up to 12.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2024
In the restaurant one can obtain à la carte a very excellently cooked dinner.
From The Gourmet's Guide to Europe by Newnham-Davis, Lieut.-Col. (Nathaniel)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
