English Reference

Word

carte

US/ˈkɑɹt/

UK/kˈɑːt/

Definition

n. a menu or a list of food you can choose from in a restaurant. It is most often seen in the French phrase 'à la carte'.

n. a bill of fare or menu, typically listing dishes that are priced separately. Most frequently encountered in the prepositional phrase 'à la carte'.

Examples

“We decided to order from the carte instead of the set menu.”

“The restaurant offers a seasonal carte that changes every month to reflect the freshest local ingredients available.”

“While the tasting menu provides a curated experience, many diners prefer the flexibility of the carte to tailor the meal to their specific dietary preferences.”

Examples

simple

“We decided to order from the carte instead of the set menu.”

contextual

“The restaurant offers a seasonal carte that changes every month to reflect the freshest local ingredients available.”

complex

“While the tasting menu provides a curated experience, many diners prefer the flexibility of the carte to tailor the meal to their specific dietary preferences.”

Usage

Commonly used within the fixed phrase 'à la carte' to indicate that dishes are ordered and paid for individually.

Real-World Examples

“To give Siri carte blanche access to your filesystem and advanced system settings is to give a lot of users enough rope to hang themselves.”
Ars Technica · 16 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference