la cage

Definition & meaning

Cage is a feminine French noun meaning an enclosed or confined space, usually made with bars or a framework.

Its main meanings include:

• A cage or enclosure for an animal, such as a bird or small pet.
• A prison or place of confinement, especially figuratively.
• A frame or enclosed structure in specialized expressions, such as the rib cage, a stairwell, or a football goal.

Grammar & Word origin

Cage is feminine: la cage. Its plural is les cages. It comes from Latin cavea, meaning an enclosure or hollow space. It is not normally analyzed as a combination of smaller French word parts.

Synonyms & antonyms

The best synonym depends on the context:

• enclos ↗: an enclosure, often larger and more open than a cage.
• volière ↗: an aviary or large enclosure specifically for birds.
• prison ↗: a prison; it refers to confinement more broadly and usually to people.

There is no general antonym for cage. When it means confinement, liberté ↗ (“freedom”) can express the opposite idea, though it is not a direct equivalent.

Common phrases & collocations

• une cage à oiseaux [?](vocabuo://word/cage à oiseaux) — a birdcage
• une cage thoracique [?](vocabuo://word/cage thoracique) — a rib cage
• une cage d’escalier [?](vocabuo://word/cage d’escalier) — a stairwell or staircase enclosure
• la cage de football [?](vocabuo://word/cage de football) — the goal or goal frame in football
• mettre quelqu’un en cage [?](vocabuo://word/mettre quelqu’un en cage) — to put someone in a cage; figuratively, to confine or restrict someone