cater

[ key-ter ]

/ ˈkeɪ tər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: cater / catered / catering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to provide food, service, etc., as for a party or wedding: to cater for a banquet.

to provide or supply what amuses, is desired, or gives pleasure, comfort, etc. (usually followed by to or for): to cater to popular demand; to cater to an invalid.

verb (used with object)

to provide food and service for: to cater a party.

OTHER WORDS FOR cater

2 humor, indulge, please.

See synonyms for cater on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of cater

1350–1400; v. use of obsolete cater,Middle English catour, aphetic variant of acatour buyer <Anglo-French, equivalent to acat(er) to buy (see cate) + -our-or²

OTHER WORDS FROM cater

ca·ter·ing·ly, adverbun·ca·tered, adjectiveun·ca·ter·ing, adjective

Words nearby cater

catenary, catenate, catenation, catenoid, catenulate, cater, cateran, cater-cornered, cater-cousin, caterer, Caterina

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cater in a sentence

Mellaart decided that a male-dominated society would never produce female figures like the ones he’d found because they didn’t cater to “male impulse and desire.”
What archaeologists got wrong about female statues, goddesses, and fertility|Annalee Newitz|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
Industry Dive is designing its new space to cater to a combination of in-office and remote work, Hargreaves said, investing in more screens and spaces that can support virtual meetings.
Publishers look to allay employee fears over a return to the office by offering additional flexibility|Jessica Davies|February 10, 2021|Digiday
So, at seven months pregnant, she decided to take things into her own hands and create her own maternity and postpartum clothing brand, catering to expecting and new moms at all stages.
The future of maternity workwear is all in the details|Rachel King|January 31, 2021|Fortune
Don’t ignore a game just because it’s linked to a company you’ve never heard of The amount of top-notch indie games catering to anyone and everyone is my favorite thing about modern gaming.
Video gaming is for everybody now. Here’s how to get back into it.|Harry Guinness|January 25, 2021|Popular-Science

You have all these people catering to your needs, taking care of you.
From Olympic medalist to Capitol rioter: The fall of Klete Keller|Dave Sheinin, Rick Maese|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
And you can expect designers and retailers to cater to them too.
Scarlet Is the New Black|Raquel Laneri|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Several events specifically cater to kids, making this a fun excursion for the whole family.
America’s Best Summer Food Festivals|Lonely Planet|July 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As you might guess, Newt is decidedly one of the people to which these agencies cater.
Your Fake Followers Are Catfishing You: Bacon Mavens, Newt’s Fake Fans, and Other Social Media Scams|Charles Seife|July 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Department stores opened to cater to an increasingly powerful middle class that no longer felt shy about displaying its wealth.
What Lies Beneath: How Lingerie Got Sexy|Raquel Laneri|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
American field kitchens arrived with everything to cater to the raw hunger of battle, including ice cream machines.
The Deadly Trap Behind D-Day’s Beaches|Clive Irving|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Whenever a business assumes certain proportions, subsidiary businesses spring up to cater to the needs of the larger enterprise.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
I reckon I know your tastes so that I can cater for you and—is there any limit to what we may order?
Dorothy's Travels|Evelyn Raymond
But the visitor in quest of silver work, jewellery, or embroidery will find there many shopkeepers ready to cater for his wants.
The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir|Sir James McCrone Douie
"While we have many music-lovers in America, it is nevertheless a difficult matter to cater to our public," Max replied.
Memoirs of an American Prima Donna|Clara Louise Kellogg
They appeal and cater remarkably to my vanity—and are pleasant and unreal and vain and fatuous and fond and piquant.
I, Mary MacLane|Mary MacLane

British Dictionary definitions for cater

cater

/ (ˈkeɪtə) /

verb

(intr; foll by for or to) to provide what is required or desired (for)to cater for a need; cater to your tastes

(when intr, foll by for) to provide food, services, etc (for)we cater for parties; to cater a banquet

Word Origin for cater

C16: from earlier catour purchaser, variant of acatour, from Anglo-Norman acater to buy, ultimately related to Latin acceptāre to accept

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cater

OTHER WORDS FOR cater

Origin of cater

OTHER WORDS FROM cater

Words nearby cater

Words related to cater

How to use cater in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cater

Word Origin for cater