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

The husband and wife still cater and now have four locations around Chicago, including a stand at Soldier Field. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

William Gottlieb’s suit also notes that Urban Zen hosts catered gatherings that generate food garbage, therefore creating fodder for the rats. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 25 Aug. 2026

On June 27, the caller was holding a baby shower that was catered when a suspect stole a Louis Vuitton purse, which was valued at approximately $2,500, from the caller’s bedroom. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026

Spaces evolve to better cater for the community and become more important to everyday life. — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

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