# cater

/ˈkeɪtɝ/ (US) · /kˈeɪtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cater
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to provide food

verb · CEFR B2

to provide food and drink for a large group of people at an event like a wedding or meeting.

For teachers: to provide professional food and beverage services for a social event or gathering. Often used with the preposition 'for'.

- The hotel will cater for the wedding reception next Saturday.
- The local firm was hired to cater the international conference, providing three meals a day for over five hundred delegates.

Usage: In British English, it is common to 'cater for' an event, while American English often uses 'cater' as a transitive verb without the preposition.

### 2. to meet needs

verb · CEFR B2

to provide exactly what a particular person or group wants or needs.

For teachers: to supply what is required or desired by a specific audience or demographic. Usually takes the preposition 'to' or 'for'.

- This new television channel caters to young children who love animals.
- The boutique hotel specifically caters to business travellers who require high-speed internet and quiet working spaces.

Usage: Commonly follows the pattern 'cater to' (US) or 'cater for' (UK).

Teaching tip: This sense often carries a slightly negative nuance if it implies someone is only doing what is easy or popular, such as 'catering to the lowest common denominator'.

### 3. bell ringing

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special way of ringing nine church bells in a specific pattern.

For teachers: a method of change ringing on nine bells, typically involving four pairs of bells changing places while a tenth bell remains in a fixed position.

- The church bells rang a complex cater to celebrate the holiday.
- The guild of bell ringers performed a flawless cater, demonstrating the mathematical precision required for nine-bell change ringing.

Usage: Used as a plural noun ('caters') to describe the specific system of changes.

## Examples

- The restaurant can cater for large wedding parties.
- This new streaming service aims to cater to fans of classic cinema who cannot find those films elsewhere.
- While the main gallery focuses on contemporary art, the smaller wing is designed to cater to local historians interested in the city's industrial heritage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.