A person whose job is to buy food and supplies, especially for a large household or institution in medieval and early modern times.
From Old French 'acater' meaning 'to buy or purchase,' possibly from Latin 'accaptare' meaning 'to take to.' The term was particularly common in English between the 14th and 17th centuries for household provisioning officers.
Medieval acaters were basically the first supply chain managers—they had to negotiate prices, manage storage, prevent spoilage, and feed hundreds of people! Many became quite powerful figures in noble households.
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