Cash
/kæʃ/noun
Money in the form of coins or banknotes, rather than credit or checks.
Did you know?The English word cash comes through French and Portuguese from a word for a money box or chest, ultimately tied to Latin *capsa*—the same root behind *capsule* and *caption*, a reminder that words can trap power before they release it.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
capsa
“a box, chest, or case”
Medieval Latin
Latin
cassa
“a money box or chest”
Portuguese
Portuguese
caixa
“a box; later, a cash box or treasury”
French
French
caisse
“a cash box; funds; treasury”
16th Century
English
cash
“a money box; later, ready money”