cater-corner en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈkætəˌkɔɹnɚ/ (General-American)
- /ˈkeɪtəˌkɔːnə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
- /ˈkatəˌkɔːnə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Presumably a clipped form of cater-cornered, from cater + cornered, q.v., although catty-cornered is attested earlier (1838).
Meanings
-
(Canada, US, not-comparable) At a diagonal to another; of four corners, those diagonal to another.
From my living room, I trained my binoculars on the redbrick monstrosity catercorner from me.
2012, Stephen King, chapter 20, in 11/22/63, page 531:The Empire State Building and the old Altman's Department store are catercorner, at Fifth Avenue and East 34th Street, with the ESB at the southwest, and Altman's at the northeast.
- (UK, dialectal, not-comparable, obsolete) Uneven, not square, as mislaid stones or people with a limping gait.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| catercorner | alternative | lexicographic | |
| catacorner | alternative | lexicographic | |
| kitty-corner | alternative | lexicographic | |
| catty-corner | alternative | lexicographic |