Cadrul

Cadrul is a Romanian noun meaning frame or framework. In its definite form, cadrul, it refers to either a physical frame that surrounds or supports an object, such as un cadru de lemn (a wooden frame) or un cadru metalic (a metal frame), or a figurative framework that provides structure for something, such as a project, a policy, or a program. The expression în cadrul is widely used to mean “within the framework of” or “in the context of,” as in în cadrul proiectului or în cadrul unei conferințe.

The word cadru derives from French cadre (frame, framework) and has been integrated into Romanian vocabulary with the same general sense. It is used across domains including architecture, engineering, administration, law, and academia, in both physical and figurative senses.

Usage notes: the masculine noun has plural forms cadre (indefinite) and cadrele (definite). Common constructions include cadru legal (legal framework), cadru normativ (normative framework), and cadru didactic (teaching staff) in plural, or cadrele didactice for the educational workforce. Other phrases such as cadru structural or cadru de referință appear in technical or analytical contexts, while în cadrul expresiilor remain a frequent way to anchor actions or analysis to a defined setting.

Related terms include rama, which more often denotes the outer frame of an object such as a painting, while cadru emphasizes structure or context.