Meaning & use
à la carte
Describing a menu on which each dish is ordered and priced separately, rather than as part of a set meal.
See it in a sentence
Instead of the buffet, they chose to order à la carte from the dinner menu.
The hotel offers both a fixed breakfast package and à la carte options for guests who prefer to choose.
A note on using this word
À la carte comes from French, literally meaning "according to the menu," and contrasts with a set-price, multi-course meal.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
prix fixe
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