Cast means to throw, and names the performers in a play or film, and the plaster support for a broken bone. Caste with an E is a hereditary social class, associated particularly with South Asian society. Only the social sense takes the E.
The core difference
A very broad English word, and a narrow borrowed one.
- cast — throw: cast a line; the performers: an all-star cast; a plaster support; to shape molten metal.
- caste — a hereditary social class: the caste system.
Where caste came from
Portuguese casta, meaning race or lineage, applied by Portuguese observers to the social structures they encountered in India. It is a European term for an Indian system rather than an indigenous word, which is part of why it is contested as a description.
The idioms
Cast doubt, cast a vote, cast aside, cast iron — all the throwing or shaping sense, all without the E.
Frequently asked questions
Which spelling is the social class?
Caste, with the E.
Where does the word caste come from?
Portuguese casta, meaning lineage — applied by Portuguese observers to social structures in India rather than being an indigenous term.
Is it "cast iron" or "caste iron"?
Cast iron — from the shaping sense, pouring molten metal into a mould.