café

1 of 2

noun

ca·​fé ka-ˈfā How to pronounce café (audio)
kə-
variants or less commonly cafe
often attributive
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
Many of the fruits and vegetables at Jones’ Westport restaurant are grown in her garden behind the cafe. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2025 Yellow Magnolia Cafe Located inside the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (admission required), this cafe is a beautiful way to give mom her flowers. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 That homespun little interior Mexican food cafe in southwest Fort Worth is not so little anymore. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025 The cafe itself is tiny, the espresso punchy, the sandwiches rich and delightful, and the scones and muffins worth traveling across state lines. Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2025 When Fani Mari returned home to Athens, Greece, after spending over a decade in London, she was greeted by a new city: High-end tavernas, cafes, boutiques, and a multi-billion-dollar beachfront development called the Ellinikon. Meehika Barua, HubSpot, 18 Apr. 2025 Inspectors cited the cafe, which specializes in pho and boba tea, for cockroaches and food not being held at appropriate temperatures. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025 There are also plans to partner with cafes for a similar experience in the U.S. and Canada. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025 The restaurant’s facade, with breads displayed in the front window, reminded her of the Old World-style cafes back home, Ms. Dahm said. Laura Neilson, New York Times, 14 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 2025.

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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