Cash

In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins. In bookkeeping and finance, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately (as in the case of money market accounts). Cash is seen either as a reserve for payments, in case of a structural or incidental negative cash flow or as a way to avoid a downturn on financial markets. In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins. In bookkeeping and finance, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately (as in the case of money market accounts). Cash is seen either as a reserve for payments, in case of a structural or incidental negative cash flow or as a way to avoid a downturn on financial markets. The English word 'cash' originally meant 'money box', and later came to have a secondary meaning 'money'. This secondary usage became the sole meaning in the 18th century. The word 'cash' derives from the Middle French caisse ('money box'), which derives from the Old Italian cassa, and ultimately from the Latin capsa ('box'). The root is unrelated to the concept of 'cash' in British India, which meant 'Indian monetary system', and derived from the Kannada kaasu (ಕಾಸು) and Tamil kasu (காசு), Sanskrit karsha or Karshapana and Sinhalese kasi.