Meanings
cass1
present singular third person casses · participle present cassing · participle past cassed · past cassed
- obsoletetransitiveTo render moot or void; to annul; to reject
1 more example
1687 James II/VII of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland Declaration of Indulgence […] Do therefore, with Advice and Consent aforesaid, Cass, Annul and Discharge all Oaths whatsoever, by which any of Our Subjects are incapacitated or disabled from holding Places, or Offices in Our said Kingdom […]
cass2
- abbreviationdatedcomputingAbbreviation of cassette.
STOCK CONTROL / CASS / DATASOFT / 12.81
1985, Stephen Doyle, GCSE Computer Studies for You, page 2141 more example
Radio Shaft color computer w/printer & cass. drive, several programs, $250.
1988, PC Mag, volume 7, number 7, page 62
Cass3
- A diminutive of the female given name Cassandra of medieval origin, later also used for Cassidy, Cassiopeia, and Catherine with its variant forms.
She’s always been how she is now, even back then. She’s like her own universe. Cass is short for Cassiopeia, you know.
2023, Jessie Gaynor, chapter 8, in The Glow: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN, page 735 more examples
Most of the time, Anne Marie and Kathleen got along as well as any sisters six years apart would: Kathleen called Anne Annie, and Anne Marie called Kathleen Cass or Kate.
1999, Ann Rule, And Never let Her Go, Warner Books, published 2000, →ISBN, page 30“Ah, the charming Miss Cassiopeia Montgomery.” Monsieur Solage bowed over her hand with perfect aplomb. “How fortunate I am today. I have found myself in the company of the two most lovely ladies in Bath.” Athena stifled the urge to roll her eyes. Just when he had started to seem interesting, he revealed himself as just another vapid coxcomb. Cass giggled.
2001, Catherine Blair [pseudonym; K. Noelle Gracy], Athen’s Conquest (A Zebra Regency Romance), New York, N.Y.: Zebra Books, →ISBN, page 42She realised that it was a typical American tendency to reduce all names to a single syllable, but she resisted it. To her, Cass was a name of endearment, and she wanted to keep it that way.
2007, John Hofman, chapter 3, in Cassiopeia Wright, [Morrisville, N.C.]: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 19“Sorry.” Cass touched her hand to her mouth. “I forgot you don’t like cussing. I suppose I can’t say fuck either?” / “Cassiopeia!”
2014, Tonia Brown, “Cassiopeia”, in Sundowners, Permuted Press, Smashwords, →ISBN“Enough, Cassiopeia,” urged her father. She glanced over at him, surprised. He almost never used called her by her full name, and that was twice in the space of five minutes. He must think that she was about to say the wrong thing. Or already had. Cass’s heart dropped.
2024, Gillian Andrews, chapter 4, in Spectacular Error: Beyond the Realms of Reason (The Quantum Heritage; 2), →ISBN, page 67 - A surname originating as a matronymic.
- A male given name transferred from the surname.
- A diminutive of the male given name Cassius.
- A number of places:
- A township and unincorporated community therein, in Sullivan County, Indiana, United States.
- A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Cass Township.
- A locality in Selwyn District, Canterbury, New Zealand, named after Thomas Cass.
CASS4
Origin
cass · verb
- Latincassus“empty, hollow”
- Late Latincassō
- Old Frenchcasser
- Middle Englishcassen
- Englishcass
From Middle English cassen, from Old French casser, from Late Latin cassō, from Latin cassus (“empty, hollow”), and perhaps influenced by quassō (“to shake, shatter”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cass · proper noun
* As an English surname, from a pet form of Cassandra. * As an Irish surname, from Ó Cais (“descendant of the curly-haired one”), from cas (“curly”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
cass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cass
“cass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cass. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cass,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cass.
Source: cass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.