cater-corner

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Adjective 1.3 Adverb 1.4 Alternative forms 1.5 See also

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

• cater from French 'quatre', four. + corner - Four cornered.

[edit] Adjective

cater-corner (not comparable)

1. (US, Canadian) Of or pertaining to something at a diagonal to another; of four corners, those diagonal to another.

   The Empire State Building and the old Altman's Deparment store are catercorner, at Fifth Avenue and East 34th Street, with the ESB at the southwest, and Altman's at the northeast.

[edit] Adverb

cater-corner (not comparable)

1. (US, Canadian) Diagonally across from.

   Altman's is sited catercorner to the ESB.

[edit] Alternative forms

• 'folk etymology,' the ordinary users of the term cater-corner thought they detected an analogy to the ordinary domestic feline. Hence cater soon became 'catty' and eventually 'kitty.'
• catty-corner, cattycorner, katty-corner
• kitty-corner, kittycorner

[edit] See also

• cattywampus, catawampus, kittywampus