à la carte

American  

[ah luh kahrt, al-uh, a la kart] / ˌɑ lə ˈkɑrt, ˌæl ə, a la ˈkart /

adjective

1. with a separate price for each dish offered on the menu.

   dinner à la carte.

2. 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.

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à la carte British  

/ a la kart, ɑː lɑː ˈkɑːt, æ lə /

adjective

1. (of a menu or a section of a menu) having dishes listed separately and individually priced Compare table d'hôte

2. (of a dish) offered on such a menu; not part of a set meal

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Etymology

Origin of à la carte

First recorded in 1815–20; from French: literally, “according to the menu”; see origin at carte

Example Sentences

Instead of simply choosing among bundles of services, consumers may need to assemble their own: maybe a package of lesser-known sports networks, a couple of direct à-la-carte subscriptions or both.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025