cates

noun · 14th century

A word so dainty and expensive sounding that it surely deserves to be served on fine china.

A term for delicious, delicate or choice food items, often reserved for special occasions.

In the wild

“After a long winter, the family gathered to share such cates as the pantry could muster.”

Origin

Shortened from the Anglo-Norman acater, meaning to buy, appearing in Middle English by the 1300s.