Dictionary.com
definitions

cater

[key-ter]
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cater 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.

RELATED CONTENT

Chanello’sRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
betchesRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

gratify, humor, purvey, supply, procure, outfit, pamper, spoil, indulge, baby, coddle, provision, furnish, cotton, victual

Nearby words

  1. catenary,
  2. catenate,
  3. catenation,
  4. catenoid,
  5. catenulate,
  6. cater-cornered,
  7. cater-cousin,
  8. cateran,
  9. caterer,
  10. caterina

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
Related formsca·ter·ing·ly, adverbun·ca·tered, adjectiveun·ca·ter·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cater

British Dictionary definitions for cater

cater

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
Word Origin and History for cater

cater

v.

"provide food for," c.1600, from Middle English catour (n.) "buyer of provisions" (c.1400; late 13c. as a surname), a shortening of Anglo-French achatour "buyer" (Old North French acatour, Old French achatour, 13c., Modern French acheteur), from Old French achater "to buy," originally "to buy provisions," perhaps from Vulgar Latin *accaptare, from Latin ad- "to" + captare "to take, hold," frequentative of capere "to take" (see capable).

Or else from Vulgar Latin *accapitare "to add to one's capital," with second element from verbal stem of Latin caput (genitive capitis); see capital (adj.). Figuratively from 1650s. Related: Catered; catering.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper