cater

verb

ca·​ter ˈkā-tər 

catered; catering; caters

intransitive verb

1

: to provide a supply of food

cater for a large party

2

: to supply what is required or desired

catering to middle-class tastes

transitive verb

: to provide food and service for

catered the banquet

caterer

ˈkā-tər-ər 

noun

Synonyms of cater

• feed
• board
• sustain
• serve

Examples of cater in a Sentence

The restaurant caters for parties.

A local restaurant catered the banquet.

The awards ceremony will be a catered event.

Recent Examples on the Web

Cost is $30 and includes catered, post-event reception. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025

Bias said certain lines cater primarily to adults, but others, such as Explora Journeys and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, are particularly welcoming to all generations. —Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Each neck gaiter is multipurpose, but some of them come with different features that might cater more to a specific activity. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025

Established in 2021 with Levy Restaurants and sponsor KeyBank, the program this year includes chefs who oversee restaurants, catering companies and even culinary training programs. —Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

obsolete cater buyer of provisions, from Middle English catour, short for acatour, from Anglo-French, from acater to buy — more at cate

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing cater

• cater-cousin
• cater for
• cater to

Rhymes for cater

• crater
• frater
• freighter
• gator
• grater
• greater
• hater
• krater
• later
• plater
• prater
• rater

Kids Definition

cater

verb

ca·​ter ˈkāt-ər 

1

: to provide a supply of food

cater for parties

2

: to supply what is wanted or needed

caterer

-ər-ər 

noun