café

1 of 2

noun

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

CAFE

2 of 2

abbreviation

ka-ˈfā How to pronounce CAFE (audio)
corporate average fuel economy

Synonyms of café

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Noun

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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
How to visit for free The 300,000-square-foot, multi-story museum includes theaters, a free research library open to all, a cafe area and more. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 On an August morning two years ago, Meredith Melville was crossing Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, to meet a friend at a cafe. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 That combo, going somewhere and making something, is what makes the craft cafe feel less like a trend cycle blip and closer to a real new third place. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026 Third places are gathering spaces outside of home and work or school, and craft cafes add something to that model with a reason to gather beyond simply being there. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for café

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

Phrases Containing café

Browse Nearby Words

cafard
café
CAFE
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Cite this Entry

“Café.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caf%C3%A9. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

café

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