café

1 of 2

noun

ca·​fé ka-ˈfā 

kə-

variants or less commonly cafe

often attributive

1

: a usually small and informal establishment serving various refreshments (such as coffee)

broadly : restaurant

2

: barroom

3

: cabaret, nightclub

CAFE

2 of 2

abbreviation

ka-ˈfā 

corporate average fuel economy

Synonyms of café

Noun

• cabaret
• nightclub
• club
• bistro

Examples of café in a Sentence

Noun

the café presents nationally known jazz performers in an intimate setting

a speakeasy that became a fashionable café with the repeal of prohibition

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

SparkHouse’s cafe and bar is open to the public and sells tea, coffee (try the honey matcha latte), wine, beer cocktails and small bites. — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

At least four people were killed after an explosive device was detonated in a Damascus cafe Thursday, Syria's Interior Ministry said. — ABC News, 2 July 2026

Uyeyama learned to roast coffee from his father, John, who once owned a coffee shop in Lafayette and continued roasting at home using the very machine his son believes his father used at the cafe. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Towns were also measured by their physical size, their safety, the quality of hotels, the number of festivals held in each destination, the number of cafes available, and the overall restaurant ratings in each spot. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French café coffee, café, from Turkish kahve — more at coffee

First Known Use

Noun

1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing café

• café au lait
• café au lait spot
• pavement café
• pousse-café
• sidewalk café
• transport café

Kids Definition

café

noun

ca·​fé

variants also cafe

ka-ˈfā 

kə-

1

: a usually small restaurant

2

: barroom

3

: nightclub