Kabinetter

Kabinetter is a Norwegian term that can refer to multiple related concepts. Primarily, it denotes cabinets as storage furniture in homes, offices, and public spaces. In some contexts the word also describes a governing body of senior officials who advise a head of government. The exact meaning often depends on the setting and the accompanying adjectives or descriptions.

In the furniture sense, kabinetter are storage units that may include shelves, drawers, doors, and glass-fronted sections. They can be freestanding or built into walls and cabinetry systems. Styles range from traditional and rustic to modern and minimalist. Common materials include wood, laminates, metal, and composites, with finishes that span natural, stained, painted, or veneer coatings. Cabinet design emphasizes organization, accessibility, and aesthetics, and it can be customized for kitchens, living rooms, offices, bathrooms, and commercial spaces.

In political or governmental usage, a cabinet refers to the body of ministers or senior officials who head various government departments and collectively advise the head of government. Cabinets set broad policy directions, approve budgets, and coordinate administration. Their size, composition, and powers vary by country and system, with arrangements typical of parliamentary democracies where cabinet members are usually legislators and are held collectively responsible for government policy, and of other systems where ministers may be appointed from outside the legislature.

Etymology traces to the French cabInet, originally meaning a small private room, with later extensions to include furniture and, by metaphor, the circle of advisors. The plural kabinetter reflects Norwegian pluralization conventions for such nouns. See also Cabinet (furniture) and Cabinet (government).