a la carte

UK/ˌæ.ləˈkɑːt/US/ˌɑ.ləˈkɑɹt/

adjectiveB2Not compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

A la carte means chosen dish by dish, each with its own price. Order a la carte, an a la carte menu, a la carte or set.

It is set against a fixed-price menu where the courses come as a package. Eating a la carte costs more and lets you have three starters if you want.

Definitions of a la carte

1adjectivea la carteChosen dish by dish, each with its own price.B2
“They ate a la carte and spent twice what they meant to.”

a la carte is a way of ordering.

à la carte French à la carte (“on the menu; according to the card”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

UK/ˌæ.ləˈkɑːt/US/ˌɑ.ləˈkɑɹt/

adjectiveB2Not compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

A la carte means chosen dish by dish, each with its own price. Order a la carte, an a la carte menu, a la carte or set.

It is set against a fixed-price menu where the courses come as a package. Eating a la carte costs more and lets you have three starters if you want.

1adjectivea la carteChosen dish by dish, each with its own price.B2
“They ate a la carte and spent twice what they meant to.”

a la carte is a way of ordering.

à la carte French à la carte (“on the menu; according to the card”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA