cassette

American  

[kuh-set, ka-] / kəˈsɛt, kæ- /

noun

1. Also called cassette tape.  a compact case containing a length of magnetic tape that runs between two small reels: used for recording or playback of audio or video in a tape recorder, cassette deck, video camera, or VCR, and for storage of data by some small computer systems.

2. Photography. a lightproof metal or plastic container for a roll of film, having a single spool for supplying and rewinding the film.

3. a replaceable or refillable cartridge in a typewriter or printer that contains the ribbon or ink.

4. a case or tray in a printer or copier that holds the paper.

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cassette British  

/ kæˈsɛt /

noun

1. 1. a plastic container for magnetic tape, as one inserted into a tape deck

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cassette recorder

2. photog another term for cartridge

3. films a container for film used to facilitate the loading of a camera or projector, esp when the film is used in the form of a loop

4. the injection of genes from one species into the fertilized egg of another species

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Etymology

Origin of cassette

1955–60; < French, equivalent to casse “box” ( see case ²) + -ette -ette

Explanation

A cassette is an audiotape, for recording or listening to sound. Before CDs were invented in the 1980s, many people bought their favorite music albums on cassettes. You can use the word cassette to mean an audio or a videotape, though it's more commonly used for something you listen to. To use a cassette, you need a tape player or recorder. Cassette means "little box" in French, and this describes the way it looks, like a small plastic box. The modern meaning came about in 1960.

Example Sentences

The store initially sold Levi’s jeans, records and cassette tapes and tapped into the counterculture vibe that was sweeping the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Modern versions of retro staples like a portable cassette player and a vinyl display cabinet hit the perfect note for a passionate spinner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

She says the 47-year-old "found the cassette tape that they played on the Apollo 11 mission".

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Even more profoundly, cassettes democratized access to the act of recording itself since cassette technology required minimal infrastructure and cost.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

I was grateful that he did not say anything about Amaka’s statement, that he talked about the sweet-smelling rains instead and sang along with the robust Igbo choruses coming from his cassette player.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• tape