geocache

noun

geo·​cache ˈjē-ō-ˌkash 

plural geocaches

: a container and its contents used in geocaching that usually includes a logbook and sometimes exchangeable trinkets : a cache sought by geocachers

Tucked into tree limbs, nestled in crevices or magnetized beneath metal bridges, geocaches are everywhere—if you know where to look. Today's cache is a modest one: a weather-worn jar wrapped in camouflage tape and stuffed with a logbook, trinkets and the musty smell of earth and plastic.

—David Laprad

The activity began May 3, 2000, when Dave Ulmer hid the first geocache in Beavercreek, Oregon, shortly after the U.S. government improved civilian GPS accuracy. Originally called the "Great American GPS Stash Hunt," geocaching quickly gained popularity, evolving into a worldwide phenomenon with millions of caches hidden across diverse terrains—from urban parks to remote wilderness.

—Lisa Britton

Word History

Etymology

geo- + cache entry 1

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above