Cachet
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 A seal, as of a letter. archaic, countable, uncountable
- 2 a seal on a letter wordnet
- 3 A special characteristic or quality; prestige, especially via association. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"I remember when this diner was a quiet hangout, but lately it seems to be losing its cachet."
- 4 a warrant formerly issued by a French king who could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his seal wordnet
- 5 A commemorative stamped design or inscription on an envelope, other than a cancellation or pre-printed postage. countable, uncountable
"The Alcatraz pelican cachet turned out to have a unique history of its own which had been lost over the years. Master cachet designer and artist John Coulthard (1903-1966) of 17 Elm Street Modesto, California, was the creator of the stamp."
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- 6 an indication of approved or superior status wordnet
- 7 A sealed envelope containing an item whose price is being negotiated. countable, uncountable
"The most romantic rite of bargaining is the cachet; even its name suggests a thrilling secrecy. The cachet is used when a broker negotiates the sale of a diamond."
- 8 A capsule containing a pharmaceutical preparation. countable, uncountable
"In order to facilitate taking by the patient, powders are often ordered to be dispensed in cachets."
- 9 A hidden location from which one can observe birds while remaining unseen. countable, uncountable
"On my way back to my cachet I met another party of reed-buntings, one of which I bagged; then I sat in my hiding-place for an hour, waiting for geese that never came within range."
- 1 To mark (an envelope) with a commemorative stamped design or inscription. transitive
Example
More examples"His style stamps all his work with the cachet of literary superiority."
Etymology
Borrowed from French cachet, first appearing in Scottish English, from 1630.
Related phrases
More for "cachet"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.