cachet

cachet
noun
ca·;chet ka-;sh;
Synonyms of cachet
1
a
: a seal used especially as a mark of official approval
b
: an indication of approval carrying great prestige
The president placed his cachet on the project.
2
a
: a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige
regarded the possession of real estate as a cachet of respectability
b
: prestige
being rich … doesn't have the cachet it used to
—Truman Capote
3
: a medicinal preparation for swallowing consisting of a case usually of rice-flour paste enclosing a medicine
4
a
: a design or inscription on an envelope to commemorate a postal or philatelic event
b
: an advertisement forming part of a postage meter impression
c
: a motto or slogan included in a postal cancellation (see cancellation sense 3)

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between cache and cachet?

Although the two words come from the same root (the French cacher, meaning "to press, hide"), cache and cachet have different meanings. 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." Cachet usually means "prestige" or "a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige."

What is the difference between cachet and prestige?

Several of the senses of cachet are similar, or synonymous with prestige; among its definitions are "a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige," "an indication of approval carrying great prestige," and "prestige." However, cachet does have additional meanings which share little of their meaning with prestige, including "a medicinal preparation for swallowing," and "a seal used especially as a mark of official approval."

How do you pronounce cachet?

Cache and cash are pronounced the same, but cachet is pronounced \cash-AY. Cachet and cache share the same origin, the French cacher "to press, hide"; cash, however, comes from a different root, the Latin word for "chest" (capsa).

Examples of cachet in a Sentence
a movie director with great artistic cachet
His research in Antarctica gave him a certain cachet among other scientists.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Like Harvard or the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Washington Post enjoys a certain cachet among the bien pensant class, and its imprimatur provides an affirmation that its readers are prone to seek.
—The Editors, National Review, 31 Oct. 2024
So, ahead of Election Day (Nov. 5), Billboard tips its reporter’s hat to the commanders in chief whose policies and cultural cachet helped shape the music business.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2024
Also on hand to deliver heavyweight cultural cachet were Donald Glover, A$AP Rocky, and Willow Smith.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024
Likewise, in entertainment, big-name movie stars typically earn more than producers and directors because of their cachet, visibility, and distinct brand.
—Natalie McCormick, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History
Etymology
borrowed from French, "small seal with a coat of arms and initials engraved or in relief used to seal documents, a document so sealed, mark of approval, distinctive character," going back to Middle French, from cacher "to press" + -et -et entry 1 (here as a suffix of instrument) — more at cache entry 1

Note: See note at cache entry 1.

First Known Use
circa 1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cachet was circa 1639
See more words from the same year
Phrases Containing cachet
lettre de cachet