cache

/kæʃ/

//kæʃ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cache" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cache” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,382 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,382
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A store, protected and often hidden in some way, of things that may be required in the future, such that they can be retrieved rapidly.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cache vs che
60% similar
cache vs care
60% similar
cache vs case
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cache
PropertyValue
Headwordcache
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kæʃ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#12,382
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cache” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cache lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cache is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kæʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,382 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for cache, with forms such as "acche", "cacche", and "caceh". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "che", "care", "case", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French cache (as used by French Canadian trappers to mean “hiding place for stores”), from the verb cacher (“to hide”). The correct English form is cache, spelled C-A-C-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A store, protected and often hidden in some way, of things that may be required in the future, such that they can be retrieved rapidly.
  2. 2
    A store, protected and often hidden in some way, of things that may be required in the future, such that they can be retrieved rapidly.
  3. 3
    A store, protected and often hidden in some way, of things that may be required in the future, such that they can be retrieved rapidly.

Etymology

From French cache (as used by French Canadian trappers to mean “hiding place for stores”), from the verb cacher (“to hide”).

This word in other languages

caché(Español)cache(Français)Cache(Deutsch)esconderijo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acche,cacche,caceh,cachhe,cahce,ccache,ccahe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cache - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

acche2cacche1caceh2cachhe1cahce2ccache1ccahe2
Edit distance from "cache"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cache"?
"cache" is spelled C-A-C-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kæʃ/.
What does "cache" mean?
As a noun, "cache" means: A store, protected and often hidden in some way, of things that may be required in the future, such that they can be retrieved rapidly.
What words are commonly confused with "cache"?
"cache" is commonly confused with "che", "care", "case". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cache"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cache" is /kæʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cache"?
From French cache (as used by French Canadian trappers to mean “hiding place for stores”), from the verb cacher (“to hide”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cache”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-C-H-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kæʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “che” - see the side-by-side comparison. cache vs che
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list