cache

1 of 2

noun

ˈkash

Synonyms of cache next

: a hiding place especially for concealing and preserving provisions or implements

: a secure place of storage

discovered a cache of weapons

: something hidden or stored in a cache

The cache consisted of documents and private letters.

: a computer memory with very short access time used for storage of frequently or recently used instructions or data

called also cache memory

cache

2 of 2

verb

cached; caching

transitive verb

: to place (something) in a cache: such as

: to place or store (something) in a hidden or secure place for safety or concealment

cache camp supplies by a lake

coins cached in a teapot

computers : to place (instructions or data) in cache memory for temporary storage

caching websites to speed up future retrieval

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Cash and Cache

Cache and cash are homophones (words that are pronounced alike but have different meanings, origins, or spelling) whose likeness in sound may lead to perplexity.

Cache primarily refers to a thing that is hidden or stored somewhere, or to the place where it is hidden. It has recently taken on another common meaning, “short-term computer memory where information is stored for easy retrieval.” Cash, on the other hand, is most often used in the sense “ready money.”

If you find yourself confused by these words, remember that you can store cash in a cache, but you can't do the reverse. Be mindful, too, that if you run out of cash you won't be able to buy something, but if you're short on cache, your computer won’t work.

Examples of cache in a Sentence

Noun a weapons cache used by terrorists Police found a cache of stolen cars in the woods. Her new laptop has one megabyte of cache. Verb an eccentric who cached money in odd places, such as under the boards of the floor cached the fugitives in their cellar until they could make their way to Canada

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

In April 2016, a contractor on NSSF’s voter education project delivered a large cache of data to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm credited with playing a key role in Trump’s narrow victory that year. —

Corey G. Johnson, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024 His case was dismissed in dramatic fashion on July 12, when the defense uncovered a cache of bullets that had not been turned over to Baldwin’s team before the trial. —

Gene Maddaus, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024

Verb

The universal semantic layer also provides data modeling, access controls and caching, removing much of the heavy lifting from data teams. —

Artyom Keydunov, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 As retrieve requests are forwarded, so are the responses backward along the path, allowing nodes to cache the chunks. —

Viktor Trón, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cache

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from North American French, from French, "hiding place," noun derivative of cacher "to hide, conceal," going back to Old French cachier, quaichier "to put away, lock up, cover, remove from view, conceal" (also Middle French cacher "to press, crush"), going back to Vulgar Latin *coācticāre "to press, constrict," from Latin coāctāre "to compel" (frequentative of cōgere "to drive together, collect, compress, compel") + -icāre, verb formative — more at cogent

Note: The etymological sense "to compress, constrict" is not attested for the Old French verb, though it likely existed and is apparent in the prefixed form escachier "to crush and flatten, break by pressing or falling on." From the sense "compress" presumably developed the senses "lock up, cover, put away," and hence "remove from view, conceal," common from the sixteenth century. The sense "to press, crush" is marginally evident in Middle French in areas in contact with Occitan, though it penetrated widely enough to form the basis for the derivative cachet "seal" (see cachet).

Verb

verbal derivative of cache entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cache was in 1797

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Commonly Confused Words Quiz

Take a (break/brake) and (pore/pour) over this (cache/cachet/cash) of questions about commonly confused words.

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How to Pronounce and Use Cache/Cachet

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cache.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cache. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

cache

1 of 2 noun

ˈkash

: a place for hiding, storing, or preserving treasure or supplies

: something hidden or stored in a cache

: a computer memory with very short access time

cache

2 of 2 verb

cached; caching

: to hide or store in a cache

Last Updated: 12 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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cache

noun

verb

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Synonyms

Examples of cache in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near cache

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Kids Definition