café

1 of 2

noun

ca·​fé ka-ˈfā How to pronounce café (audio)
kə-
variants or less commonly cafe
often attributive
Synonyms of cafénext
1
: a usually small and informal establishment serving various refreshments (such as coffee)
broadly : restaurant
2
3

CAFE

2 of 2

abbreviation

corporate average fuel economy

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
However, coffee shops and cafes seemed to be growing. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 Jan. 2026 However, the funds were not enough to save the all-day cafe and market with locations in Elizabeth and Myers Park, and in November the owners announced the restaurants would permanently close. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025 Billing itself as Concord’s first-ever chai cafe, the establishment brews various teas and has a menu of street food popular in Pakistan and India, ranging from samosas to masala fries to chicken-tikka wraps. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 Plus, bananas are inexpensive and sold at most grocery stores, as well as some drugstores and cafes. Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 30 Dec. 2025 The closures even extended to shuttering its upscale Reserve Roastery cafe in Seattle, the company's hometown. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2025 Twilegar is also the chef at Palmys, a neighborhood cafe, espresso bar, market and garden, offering healthy breakfasts, brunches, lunches and dinners with indoor/outdoor dining options. Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025 Peruse independent boutiques, vintage stores, galleries, and indie cafes in the creative neighborhood of Ruzafa. Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025 Remote work and homelessness Other pressures have also led Starbucks to shutter cafes in cities. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of café was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Café.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caf%C3%A9. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

café

noun
ca·​fé
variants also cafe
ka-ˈfā How to pronounce café (audio)
kə-
1
: a usually small restaurant
2
3
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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