à la carte

[ah luh kahrt, al-uh, a la kart]

adjective

1. with a separate price for each dish offered on the menu.

   dinner à la carte.

2. with a separate price for each item on a list.

   Spa treatments can be booked à la carte, or you can choose one of our packages.

à la carte

/ a la kart, ɑː lɑː ˈkɑːt, æ lə /

adjective

1. (of a menu or a section of a menu) having dishes listed separately and individually priced Compare table d'hôte

2. (of a dish) offered on such a menu; not part of a set meal

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la carte¹

First recorded in 1815–20; from French: literally, “according to the menu”; carte

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la carte¹

C19: from French, literally: according to the card

Example Sentences

Only if we start treating public education not as a pluralistic endeavor but as an à la carte menu from which religious parents can choose only the dishes that suit their tastes.

From Slate

Although most customers order full-body taxidermy, an “a la carte” menu has expanded over the years with jars of whiskers or fur, bundles of bones tied in a bow and, the most recent addition, freeze-dried hearts, which come mounted inside of a glass cloche.

From Los Angeles Times

There are open-air booths facing the stage where guests can order bottle service with a la carte options from Nobu, while the interior features a chef’s counter with omakase service.

From Los Angeles Times

Housed in the Red Bull Mirage pyramid in a multilevel terrace that faces the Quasar stage, the Nobu pop-up featured an omakase counter and open-air booths where guests can purchase bottle service from Red Bull and a la carte items from Nobu’s menu.

From Los Angeles Times

The company doesn’t lease its pieces a la carte, instead offering tailored whole-home packages with on-site setup.

From Los Angeles Times