Meaning & use
self-catered
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounBritish
Offering rooms to stay in but no meals, so guests cook or buy their own food.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a self-catered flat. It is not usually put after a verb, so say 'the flat is self-catering' rather than 'the flat is self-catered'.
Patterns
- self-catered accommodation
- a self-catered apartment/flat
- self-catered holiday
We booked a self-catered apartment near the beach so we could cook for ourselves.
The hotel is expensive, but the self-catered cottages next door are much cheaper.
For a family of five, self-catered accommodation usually works out better than a hotel.
adjectivebefore a nounBritish
Describing a holiday or stay in which you prepare your own meals.
Grammar: Describes the trip itself, not just the building: a self-catered holiday. Compare 'a self-catered holiday' with 'a package holiday', where meals are included.
Patterns
- a self-catered holiday
- a self-catered break
- go on a self-catered trip
They chose a self-catered holiday in the mountains to save money on restaurants.
Our self-catered break in Scotland meant lots of home-cooked dinners.
A self-catered trip gives you more freedom about when and what you eat.
Common combinations
- self-catered accommodation
- Self-catered accommodation is a good choice if you have picky eaters in the family.
- self-catered apartment
- The self-catered apartment came with a small kitchen and a fridge.
- self-catered cottage
- We rented a self-catered cottage by the lake for a week.
- self-catered holiday
- A self-catered holiday suits people who like cooking with local ingredients.
- self-catered flat
- The self-catered flat was clean, though there was no oven.
Synonyms and how they differ
- self-catering
- Means the same and is far more common in British English; it is used both before nouns and after the verb 'be'.
- self-contained
- Describes a place with its own kitchen and bathroom, but says nothing about whether meals are provided.
- apartment-style
- Focuses on the type of unit rather than on who does the cooking, so it is not a true replacement.
Opposites
Word family
- self-cater verb
- To prepare your own meals while staying somewhere, rather than eating food that is provided.
- self-catering noun
- The practice or style of holiday where you cook your own meals.
- self-catering adjective
- The usual British adjective for accommodation where you make your own meals.
- cater verb
- To provide food and drink for an event or group of people.
- caterer noun
- A person or company whose job is to supply food for events.
Commonly confused: self-catered or self-serving? self-catered or self-centered?
self-catered vs self-serving
Sounds similar but means 'acting only for your own benefit', and is used about people, not holidays.
self-catered vs self-centered
Also begins with 'self-' but describes a person who thinks mainly about themselves, not a type of accommodation.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'self-catered' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Self-catered' describes accommodation where guests make their own meals, so 'a self-catered flat' fits. Option 0 contradicts the meaning because breakfast is provided. Option 2 wrongly uses it as a verb with an object, and option 3 uses it as a feeling, which it never means.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “self-catered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.