Etymology Presumably a clipped form of cater-cornered, from cater + cornered, q.v., although catty-cornered is attested earlier (1838).
1
Canada, US At a diagonal to another; of four corners, those diagonal to another.
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.
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:
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UK, Dialectal, Obsolete Uneven, not square, as mislaid stones or people with a limping gait.
cater-corner
adv
Etymology Presumably a clipped form of cater-cornered, from cater + cornered, q.v., although catty-cornered is attested earlier (1838).