Cash Once Meant the Box, Not the Money
Cash is money in coins and notes. The word originally named the container it was kept in.
Cash is money in the form of coins and notes. The word first meant the money box itself, from Italian *cassa*, a chest, from Latin *capsa*. The contents took the name of the container, which is why *cashier* means the person at the box, not the person with the money. A separate *cash* was a small Indian coin, borrowed from Tamil, and it is pure coincidence that two unrelated words for money share a spelling.
- Coins and notes. *Pay in cash.*
- To convert to money. *Cash a cheque.*
- Cashier — one at the cash box. *A cashier.*
- Cash in — profit from. *Cash in on it.*
- Italian — *cassa*, a chest. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | cash | Cash. |
| Verb | cash | Cashed. |
| Agent | cashier | A cashier. |
| Related | case | A case. |
| Latin | capsa | A box. |
- He paid the whole bill in cash.Money.
- She cashed the cheque.Verb.
- The word meant a money box.Etymology.
Words that moved from container to contents
- Cash — the money box, then the money
- Barrel — the cask, then a unit of oil
- Glass — the material, then a drink
- Kettle — the vessel, then in some dialects a pot of food
- Bottle — the container, then courage, in British slang
Old French *casse*, a money box, from Italian *cassa*, from Latin *capsa*, a box.
Did cash always mean money?
No. It first meant the money box. The contents took the name of the container, which is why a cashier is the person at the box.
Are cash and case related?
Yes, one sense of case is. Both descend from Latin capsa, a box.