café

¹

or ca·fe

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

noun

, plural ca·fés [ka-, feyz, k, uh, -, k, a, -, fey].

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

Upon entering the Rainforest Cafe, I was greeted by a talking tree that rattled off a slew of plant-related factoids.

From Slate

The Rainforest Cafe has undergone a major cultural reassessment recently.

From Slate

For example, early this year, an April Fools’ Day tweet from the Empire State Building’s official account teased an exciting dining opportunity: New York City’s most iconic building would now be home to the “world’s highest” Rainforest Cafe.

From Slate

Given the overwhelming response, both the restaurant and the famed skyscraper granted the internet’s wish six months later and a Rainforest Cafe pop-up opened on the rooftop of the Empire State Building for one weekend, making their mascot Ozzie the orangutan one of the first apes to grace the building since King Kong.

From Slate

Perhaps, though, a viral tweet summed it up best: “rainforest cafe understood that humans need to feel fear while eating a wedge salad.”

From Slate

Related Words

• bistro
• cafeteria
• coffee shop
• diner