cause

A2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /kɔz/ UK /kɔːz/ See IPA manual

Freq #545

Meanings

1

noun
The thing or person that makes something happen.

They identified a burst pipe as the cause of the flooding.
2

verb
To make something happen, especially something bad.

The heavy rain caused serious damage to the roads.
3

noun
A good reason for thinking or doing something.

There is no cause for alarm.
4

noun
An aim or principle that a group strongly believes in and works for.

She donated the money to a good cause.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the thing or person that... basis reason

2 verb · to make something happen,... make

3 noun · a good reason for thinking... grounds justification reason

4 noun · an aim or principle that a... aim goal objective purpose

More genesis germ origin principle root source

Opposites

consequence effect hindrance impediment preventer prohibitor result

Word family

Forms causedcausescausethcausing

Derived forms all-causebecauseby-causebycausecausablecausal causality causationcausativecauseecausefulcauseless

Related forms agency because beginning completion effect finish outcome

Appears in

Phrases (16)

See all

main cause
the primary or most important reason for something

Adjective + noun
cause a problem
to create a difficulty for someone or something

Verb + noun
cause an accident
to bring about an unexpected harmful event

Verb + noun
cause death
be directly responsible for someone or something dying

Verb + noun
cause trouble
to create problems or difficulties for others

Verb + noun
cause worry
to produce feelings of anxiety or concern in people

Verb + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Like causes produce like effects

Etymology

* From Middle English cause (also with the sense of “a thing”), borrowed from Old French cause (“a cause, a thing”), borrowed from Latin causa (“reason, sake, cause”), from Proto-Italic *kaussā, which is of unknown origin. Doublet of chose (“(law) a thing; personal property”). See accuse, excuse, recuse, ruse. Displaced native Old English intinga. * From Middle English causen, Old French causer and Medieval Latin causāre.

cause Middle English causa Latin *kaussā Proto-Italic causen Middle English causer Old French causāre la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

External links

# cause

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /kɔz/
**IPA (UK):** /kɔːz/
**Frequency rank:** 545

## Meanings
1. The thing or person that makes something happen.
2. To make something happen, especially something bad.
3. A good reason for thinking or doing something.
4. An aim or principle that a group strongly believes in and works for.

## Examples
- They identified a burst pipe as the cause of the flooding.
- The heavy rain caused serious damage to the roads.
- There is no cause for alarm.
- She donated the money to a good cause.

## Synonyms
- basis
- genesis
- germ
- origin
- principle
- reason
- root
- source

## Antonyms
- consequence
- effect
- hindrance
- impediment
- preventer
- prohibitor
- result

## Derived Forms
- all-cause
- because
- by-cause
- bycause
- causable
- causal
- causality
- causation
- causative
- causee
- causeful
- causeless

## Related Forms
- agency
- because
- beginning
- completion
- effect
- finish
- outcome

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cause
- Root: causa
- Root: *kaussā
- Root: causen
- Root: causer
- Root: causāre

## Etymology
* From Middle English cause (also with the sense of “a thing”), borrowed from Old French cause (“a cause, a thing”), borrowed from Latin causa (“reason, sake, cause”), from Proto-Italic *kaussā, which is of unknown origin. Doublet of chose (“(law) a thing; personal property”). See accuse, excuse, recuse, ruse. Displaced native Old English intinga. * From Middle English causen, Old French causer and Medieval Latin causāre.

## AI Etymology
cause is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English cause (also with the sense of “a thing”), borrowed from Old French cause (“a cause, a thing”), borrowed from Latin causa (“reason, sake, cause”), from Proto-Italic *kaussā, which is of unknown origin. Doublet of chose (“(law) a thing; personal property”). See accuse, excuse, recuse, ruse. Displaced native Old English intinga. From Middle English causen, Old French causer and Medieval Latin causāre. Historical forms in the chain include cause (Middle English), cause (Old French), causa (Latin), *kaussā (Proto-Italic), causen (Middle English), causer (Old French), and causāre (Medieval Latin). Current senses include the thing or person that makes something happen, to make something happen, especially something bad, and a good reason for thinking or doing something. Derived forms include all-cause, because, by-cause, bycause, and causable. Related words include agency, because, beginning, and completion.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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