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catercorner

catercorner

8.8
At the corner diagonally across from another place
  • adjective
  • /ˈkætərˌkɔrnər/
  • US
translation icon : diagonal
  • The two buildings stood catercorner across the busy intersection.

Examples

  • Our apartment is catercorner to the park, so it's easy to walk there.

  • The bakery is catercorner from the post office on Main Street.

  • The bank is located catercorner to the grocery store.

  • My house is catercorner from the park.

  • The bakery is catercorner from the post office on Main Street.

  • Our apartment is catercorner to the park, so it's easy to walk there.

  • The two buildings stood catercorner across the busy intersection.

Synonyms

catty-corner
vscatercorner
  • US
1 7.9

At an angle across the corner of a street or room

is the same diagonal idea but emphasizes corner angle over layout
kitty-corner
vscatercorner
  • US
1 7.9

Diagonally across the street from another place

is similar but stresses the corner angle rather than location type
cater-cornered
vscatercorner
  • US
8.6

Diagonally across the street at the opposite corner from another building

is the same meaning presented without the hyphenated spelling
catacorner
vscatercorner
  • US
9.3

At a corner diagonally across an intersection from another place

focuses similarly on diagonal placement but also on corner angle
catty-cornered
vscatercorner
  • US
7.8

On the opposite corner from a place like a shop or house

is the general diagonal position term without size or shape focus
kitty-cornered
vscatercorner
  • US
7.9

A place diagonally across an intersection from another place

limits meaning to position at an angle rather than movement
cata-cornered
vscatercorner
  • Archaic
9.1

Placed diagonally across from something at the opposite corner

is the broader diagonal position term without stressing open areas

Surface Forms

catercorner positive

Etymology

Catercorner comes from an old word cater meaning 'four' plus corner, so it meant the opposite corner of a square or street. That's why catercorner means 'diagonally across' from something, and you may also hear it as 'catty-corner' or 'kitty-corner'.