catering
B1-B2Neutral to formal (common in business and event planning contexts).
Definition
Meaning
The business or activity of providing food and drink at events such as parties, conferences, or weddings.
The service of providing what is needed or desired; the act of supplying food and services for events or meetings. Can also refer to the industry itself.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a non-count noun referring to the industry/service. Can occasionally be used attributively (e.g., catering company). Derived from the verb 'cater'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Both use 'catering' for the industry/service. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more formal/industry-specific in AmE; common in both everyday and professional contexts in BrE.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects due to the global nature of the events industry.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
catering for + event (catering for the wedding)catering by + provider (catering by a local firm)catering at + location (catering at the hotel)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the professional service of providing food for corporate events, conferences, or meetings. Often part of facility management.
Academic
Used in hospitality, tourism, and business management studies.
Everyday
Used when planning a party, wedding, or large gathering where food is provided by an external service.
Technical
In the hospitality industry, refers to the logistical and culinary operations of off-premise food service.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The hotel can cater for up to 200 guests.
- We need a company that caters to dietary restrictions.
American English
- The restaurant caters large office parties.
- Our service caters to a high-end clientele.
adjective
British English
- She runs a successful catering business.
- The school's catering facilities were recently upgraded.
American English
- He works in the catering industry.
- We need to rent catering equipment for the fundraiser.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We ordered catering for the school party.
- The wedding had nice food from a catering company.
- The conference fee includes catering during the breaks.
- They hired a catering service for their anniversary celebration.
- The hotel's in-house catering was able to accommodate several vegan guests at short notice.
- Corporate catering has become a highly competitive sector in major cities.
- The success of the product launch was partly due to the impeccable standard of the gourmet catering.
- Sustainable sourcing has become a key concern for high-end event catering.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CATERpillar carrying many plates of food to an EVENT. CATER-ing is for EVENTS.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROVIDING IS SUPPLYING (a service to meet needs).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'ке́теринг' – it is a false friend and not standard. Use 'catering' or 'food service'.
- Do not confuse with 'cafeteria' (столовая).
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /kætərɪŋ/ (like 'cat'). Correct is /ˈkeɪ.tər.ɪŋ/.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a catering'). It is generally uncountable.
- Confusing 'catering' (service) with 'caterer' (person/company).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common meaning of 'catering'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily an uncountable (mass) noun. You don't say 'a catering' but 'a catering service' or 'the catering'.
'Catering' refers to the service or industry. 'A caterer' or 'a catering company' is the person or business that provides that service.
No, 'catering' is a noun or adjective. The verb form is 'to cater'.
Common phrases include 'catering industry', 'catering service', 'wedding catering', and 'corporate catering'.
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