What does cause mean?
'Cause' names whatever brings about an effect: the reason something happens, whether a physical agent like a spark that starts a fire, a condition like poverty, or a decision made by a person. It also has a second, more human sense: a cause can be a principle or movement people devote themselves to, from civil rights to conservation, giving the word an aspirational, sometimes heroic flavor. English pairs it with familiar fixed expressions — the 'root cause' of a problem, a 'lost cause', making 'common cause' with allies, and the logical pairing of 'cause and effect'. Derived forms such as 'causal', 'causation', and 'because' show how deeply the idea runs through the language, especially in science and philosophy, where establishing causation rather than mere correlation is a central concern. From Old French and ultimately Latin 'causa' (reason, case), it entered Middle English and remains indispensable for explaining why things happen.
A person, thing, event, or state of affairs that makes something happen; the origin or reason for an effect.
"Investigators traced the outage to a single failed transformer as its cause."
Often modified by adjectives such as 'root', 'underlying', or 'probable'.
A principle, ideal, or movement that a person supports or works to advance.
"He gave generously to the cause of marine conservation."
To make something happen; to bring about an effect or result.
"The storm caused widespread power cuts across the region."
Standard plural; common when referring to multiple reasons or several supported movements.
"Economists disagree over the causes of inflation."
The Latin root behind 'cause' also gave us 'excuse', 'accuse', and 'recuse' — so every time you blame someone, you're literally using the same word-family as when you find a reason.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cause
'Cause' entered Middle English from Old French 'cause', borrowed from Latin 'causa', meaning reason, motive, or judicial case. The Latin root also produced a family of English words via different routes, including 'excuse', 'accuse', and 'occasion'. The verb 'to cause' developed from the noun in late Middle English.
Related word forms
How cause is actually used
As a noun for an aim or principle, 'cause' carries a strongly positive, even noble connotation ('a just cause'), though it can be neutral in phrases like 'a lost cause'. In legal contexts, 'cause' has specialized senses such as 'just cause' for dismissal.
Easily confused with cause
'Course' means a path of action, a route, or a series of studies, whereas 'cause' refers to what produces an effect — they share spelling similarity but not meaning.