cachet

[ ka-shey, kash-ey; French ka-she ]

noun

, plural ca·chets [ka-, sheyz, kash, -eyz, k, a, -, she].

1. an official seal, such as on a letter or document.
2. a distinguishing mark or feature; stamp:

   Relentless innovation is the cachet of success in the business world.

3. a sign or expression of approval, especially from a person who has a great deal of prestige.
4. superior status; prestige:

   In that country, any government job has a certain cachet.

5. Pharmacology. a hollow wafer for enclosing a bad-tasting medicine.
6. Philately. a firm name, slogan, or design stamped or printed on an envelope or folded letter.

cachet

/ ˈkæʃeɪ /

noun

1. an official seal on a document, letter, etc
2. a distinguishing mark; stamp
3. prestige; distinction
4. philately
   1. a mark stamped by hand on mail for commemorative purposes
   2. a small mark made by dealers and experts on the back of postage stamps Compare overprint surcharge
5. a hollow wafer, formerly used for enclosing an unpleasant-tasting medicine

Word History and Origins

Origin of cachet¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from French: literally, “small hiding place,” from cache cache + -et -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of cachet¹

C17: from Old French, from cacher to hide

Example Sentences

“The [Rockefeller] name carries a certain cachet because of Standard Oil,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Time will tell whether the Upper East Side achieves lasting social cachet to go with the cash awash in the neighborhood.

From The Daily Beast

There was no social cachet associated with jazz at that juncture in American history—if anything, the contrary.

From The Daily Beast

Being a fan of Liquid Sky carries the cachet of degenerate hipness to this day, 32 years after it was filmed.

From The Daily Beast

“I think there was a cachet about having an African-American president because of guilt,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

Each cachet contained three decigrams of malourea, the insidious drug notorious under its trade name of Veronal.

From Project Gutenberg

A lettre de cachet was sent after him to Bordeaux; but he avoided it by crossing into Spain.

From Project Gutenberg

To think that any man of our free colony would use a lettre de cachet, and against a brother Canadian!

From Project Gutenberg

He procured lettres de cachet from the King, and shut up his disobedient and debauched son in various state-prisons.

From Project Gutenberg

There was no difficulty in obtaining this lettre de cachet, and the poor wretch was arrested and taken to the Bastille.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• prestige
• stature