noun
caf
kaf
noun
1
A café; an informal spot for coffee and a light meal.
"They grabbed a quick lunch at the caf on the corner."
"The caf near campus stays open until midnight during exams."
2
A cafeteria, especially at a school, hospital, or workplace.
"Students lined up in the caf for pizza day."
"He ate alone in the hospital caf between shifts."
3
Informal shorthand for a caffeinated (as opposed to decaf) coffee.
""Caf or decaf?" the barista asked."
"She switched from caf to decaf after 3pm."
How to Use Caf
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCasual short word for a café or cafeteria, or for regular (non-decaf) coffee.
When to use it
Informal — fine in conversation or a text, but write out "café" or "cafeteria" in formal writing.
Common pairings
grab a caf
the school caf
caf or decaf
Word Forms
cafs plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “caf”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
They grabbed a quick lunch at the _____ on the corner.
Etymology
A clipped, casual short form of "café" or "cafeteria" — the kind of shortening that happens naturally in everyday speech.