Stash May Be a Blend of Store and Cache
To stash is to hide something away for later. The word's origin is uncertain but the likeliest guess is a blend.
To stash is to store something safely and secretly, and a stash is what has been stored. Its origin is unproven, but the most common suggestion is a blend of *store* and *cache* — the sort of word that forms when two near-synonyms collide. English has several such blends: *smog* from smoke and fog, *brunch* from breakfast and lunch, *motel* from motor and hotel. The word appears in English from about 1795, first as thieves' cant.
- To hide away. *Stash the money.*
- A hidden store. *A secret stash.*
- Cache — a possible source. *A cache.*
- Store — the other possible source. *Store.*
- From about 1795. *Thieves' cant.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | stash | Stash it. |
| Past | stashed | Stashed. |
| Noun | stash | A stash. |
| Plural | stashes | Stashes. |
| Related | cache | A cache. |
- He stashed the cash under the floor.Hiding.
- They found a stash of documents.Noun.
- It may blend store and cache.Etymology.
English blend words
- Smog — smoke plus fog, coined 1905
- Brunch — breakfast plus lunch, 1890s
- Motel — motor plus hotel, 1925
- Podcast — iPod plus broadcast, 2004
- Stash — possibly store plus cache, though unproven
Of uncertain origin, from about 1795, possibly a blend of *store* and *cache*.
Where does stash come from?
Its origin is unproven. The most common suggestion is a blend of store and cache, and it first appears around 1795 in thieves' slang.
What is a blend word?
A word made by merging parts of two others, like smog from smoke and fog or brunch from breakfast and lunch.