cachette

Cachette is a hiding place or concealed stash used to conceal objects from view. The term is French in origin and is used in English mainly in historical, literary, or archaeological contexts. A cachette can be a concealed cavity, a hollow space in a wall, a buried container, or a hidden recess designed to obscure items from detection.

Etymology: The word derives from the French cacher, to hide, with the diminutive suffix -ette signaling a small or specific hiding place. In English, cachette is relatively rare and often employed to convey a French flavor or a technical tone.

Uses and contexts: Caches or cachettes have been used to store valuables, weapons, documents, or supplies, sometimes for temporary concealment and later retrieval. In military and wartime history, caches were used to ensure support when lines were cut or to evade detection. In archaeology and art history, a cachette may describe an intentional deposit of artifacts, coins, or sacred objects hidden by people for safekeeping or ritual purposes. In modern fiction and reportage, the image of a cachette evokes hidden stashes of contraband, intelligence material, or escape gear.

Note: The English term cachette remains uncommon outside specialized writing, and more common synonyms include cache, stash, hiding place, or secret cache.