nounverb

la case

box

Definition & meaning

The word case in French has several distinct meanings depending on the context:

A square or box: It refers to a specific compartment or square on a grid, such as those on a chessboard, a spreadsheet (Excel), or a form to be filled out. For example, a checkbox on a document is called a "case à cocher."
A panel in a comic strip: It denotes a single framed illustration within a comic book or "bande dessinée."
A hut or cabin: It refers to a modest, traditional dwelling, usually one-roomed, often found in tropical regions, Africa, or the Caribbean.
Figurative use (mind): In informal speech, it refers to a "compartment" of the brain. The common expression "il lui manque une case" means "he is missing a marble" or "he is crazy."

Grammar & Word origin

The word case is a feminine noun (une case).

Its origin can be traced back to the Latin word casa, which initially meant a cottage, hut, or small house. In the Middle Ages, the term evolved in various Romance languages. In French, it maintained the sense of a small dwelling but also developed the technical meaning of a "partitioned space" or "receptacle," likely influenced by the Italian cassa or Provençal caza, leading to its modern use for squares on a board or grid.