cabinet

1 of 2

noun

cab·​i·​net ˈkab-nit 

ˈka-bə-

1

a

: a case or cupboard usually having doors and shelves

a kitchen cabinet

a medicine cabinet

b

: a collection of specimens especially of biological or numismatic interest

a butterfly display cabinet

c

: console sense 4a

d

: a chamber having temperature and humidity controls and used especially for incubating biological samples

2

a

archaic : a small room providing seclusion

b

: a small exhibition room in a museum

3

a archaic

(1)

: the private room serving as council chamber of the chief councillors or ministers of a sovereign

(2)

: the consultations and actions of these councillors

b(1)

often capitalized : a body of advisers of a head of state

the president's cabinet

(2)

: a similar advisory council of a governor of a state or a mayor

c

British : a meeting of a cabinet

4

New England : milkshake

cabinet

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a governmental cabinet (see cabinet entry 1 sense 3b)

held a cabinet meeting

2

: suitable by reason of size for a small room or by reason of attractiveness or perfection for preservation and display in a cabinet

porcelain cabinet plates

3

a

: used or adapted for cabinetmaking

b

: done or used by a cabinetmaker

Synonyms

Noun

• buffet
• closet
• console
• cupboard
• hutch
• locker
• press
• sideboard

Examples of cabinet in a Sentence

Noun

a member of the President's Cabinet

the most precious knickknacks were kept in a cabinet with glass doors

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And then there was Biden’s stubborn refusal to accept the Senate’s constitutional role in confirming cabinet secretaries. —Will Swaim, National Review, 5 Mar. 2025

During the meeting Wednesday of President Donald Trump's cabinet, Kennedy said two people had died in an ongoing measles outbreak in Texas. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025

Adjective

In 1867, the House voted to completely eliminate the new department, but the Senate settled on a compromise measure that demoted the agency from a cabinet department to a sub-cabinet bureau in the Department of the Interior. —Richard Stengel, TIME, 15 Feb. 2025

There is clearly a divide between Stephen Miller who is placing a lot of these cabinet and sub-cabinet level deputy secretary types -- assistant attorney general types throughout the administration. —ABC News, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle French, small room, diminutive of Middle French dialect (Picard) cabine gambling house

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cabinet

• file cabinet
• filing cabinet
• kitchen cabinet
• shadow cabinet

Kids Definition

cabinet

noun

cab·​i·​net

ˈkab-(ə-)nət

1

a

: a case or cupboard usually having doors and shelves

b

: a case for a radio or television

2

: a group of advisers to the political head of a government

the British cabinet

the president's cabinet