cassette

cassette — noun

1. a rectangular object made of plastic, about the size of a small book, with a mag

1.nounB1
Definition

a rectangular object made of plastic, about the size of a small book, with a magnetic ribbon coiled inside it that stores audio or video recordings

Example

Ravi found a box of old cassette tapes in his grandfather's garage.

collocation: cassette tapes

The librarian showed the children how to rewind a cassette with a pencil.

concrete context: rewinding a cassette

Common collocations
  • cassette tape
  • cassette player
  • cassette recorder
  • cassette deck
  • record on a cassette
  • play a cassette
  • rewind a cassette
  • insert the cassette
  • cassette collection
  • blank cassette
Synonyms
  • tape

    a shorter, more general term; 'tape' can also mean the magnetic strip itself, while 'cassette' emphasises the plastic case

  • cassette tape

    fuller form of the same meaning; slightly more formal than just 'tape'

Antonyms
  • digital file

    modern replacement format; cassettes store analog, not digital, data

Usage Note

Often shortened to just 'cassette' in everyday speech, or paired with 'tape' as 'cassette tape' to distinguish it from open-reel tape.

Common Mistakes

I bought a cassette of chips.
I bought a packet of chips.
'cassette' refers only to a tape or film container, not any small box.

2. a small plastic container that holds photographic film, designed to be loaded in

2.nounB2
Definition

a small plastic container that holds photographic film, designed to be loaded into a camera

Example

Yusuf opened the camera and carefully removed the film cassette in complete darkness.

domain: film photography; action: remove cassette in darkness

The shop assistant asked whether the customer needed a 35-millimetre or a medium-format film cassette.

specific types: 35mm / medium-format

Common collocations
  • film cassette
  • load a cassette
  • remove the cassette
  • 35-millimetre cassette
  • cassette of film
  • film cassette holder
  • open the cassette
Synonyms
  • film cartridge

    technically the same object, but 'cartridge' is more common for 35mm and APS film; 'cassette' is slightly broader

  • film roll

    refers to the spool of film itself; 'cassette' emphasises the plastic case around it

Usage Note

This sense is less common now because most cameras are digital. It is mainly used when discussing vintage or professional film photography.

Common Mistakes

I bought a cassette for my digital camera.
I bought a memory card for my digital camera.
digital cameras do not use film cassettes.

Word family

  • cassette tape
    nounB1
  • cassette player
    nounB1
  • cassette recorder
    nounB1
  • cassette deck
    nounB2
  • microcassette
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'cassette' is the complete plastic case containing the magnetic tape, while 'cassette tape' is a slightly more explicit term often used when contrasting this format with other media. 'Tape' alone is more general — it can refer to the magnetic strip inside a cassette, an open-reel tape, or even adhesive tape. 'Cassette player' or 'cassette deck' refers to the machine that plays or records cassettes, not the cassette itself. For a learner: if you mean the object you insert into a machine, say 'cassette' or 'cassette tape'; if you mean the machine, say 'cassette player'.

cassette ↗cassette tapetape ↗cassette player

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • load a cassette into
  • take a cassette out of
  • record onto a cassette
  • play back from a cassette

Prepositions

  • in a cassette
  • on a cassette
  • from a cassette

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'cassette' entered English in the late 18th century from French, where 'cassette' meant 'little box' — itself a diminutive of 'casse' (box, case), which came from Latin 'capsa' (a box or container). The modern meaning for tape recording came into wide use in the 1960s when Philips introduced the Compact Cassette format.