cache

[ kash ]

noun

1. a hiding place, especially one in the ground, for ammunition, food, treasures, etc.:

   She hid her jewelry in a little cache in the cellar.

2. anything so hidden:

   The enemy never found our cache of food.

   Synonyms: store, reserve, stockpile, hoard

3. Also called cache storage. Computers. a temporary storage space or memory that allows fast access to data:

   Web browser cache;

   CPU cache.

4. Alaska and Northern Canada. a small shed elevated on poles above the reach of animals and used for storing food, equipment, etc.

verb (used with object)

, cached, cach·ing.

1. to put in a cache; conceal; hide.

   Synonyms: secrete

cache

/ kæʃ /

noun

1. a hidden store of provisions, weapons, treasure, etc
2. the place where such a store is hidden
3. computing a small high-speed memory that improves computer performance

verb

1. tr to store in a cache

cache

/ kăsh /

1. An area of computer memory devoted to the high-speed retrieval of frequently used or requested data.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cache¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from French, noun derivative of cacher “to hide,” from unattested Vulgar Latin coācticāre “to stow away,” originally, “to pack together,” frequentative of Latin coāctāre, equivalent to Latin coāct(us) “collected” (past participle of cōgere “to collect, compel”) + -icā- formative verb suffix + -re infinitive ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of cache¹

C19: from French, from cacher to hide

Example Sentences

One of my favorite recent scenes is in Caché, the Michael Haneke film.

From The Daily Beast

Though simple, a sweatshirt emblazoned with ‘HBA’ in block lettering held an inimitable caché.

From The Daily Beast

The 70-year-old German director of Caché and The White Ribbon has paid his dues.

From The Daily Beast

I remember in the other there were phrases that seemed to go with these—'trésor caché' 'lingots d'or'.

From Project Gutenberg

Another plan of making a caché is to dig the hole inside a tent, and occupy the tent for some days after the goods are deposited.

From Project Gutenberg

If an India-rubber or gutta-percha cloth is disposable, it should be used to envelop the articles in the caché.

From Project Gutenberg

A small party remains making its caché in a defile among the rocks.

From Project Gutenberg

Derrière tes mains et tes blasphèmes tu as caché ton visage.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hideout
• hoard
• nest egg
• repository
• stash
• stockpile
• storehouse
• treasure
• wealth