all-cash
UK[ˌɔːl ˈkæʃ]US[ˌɔːl ˈkæʃ]
adj
Involving or consisting entirely of money in the form of cash, without the use of credit, financing, or other assets.
Morpheme Breakdown
all
cash
all
complete
cash
money
Etymology
The compound adjective 'all-cash' is a modern financial term formed by combining the intensifier 'all' with the noun 'cash.' 'All' derives from a robust Proto-Germanic root meaning "whole," while 'cash' has a more circuitous history, originating from the Latin word for a container (capsa), which evolved to signify the money box itself and then, by metonymy, the currency it held. The logic of the compound is transparently literal, directly combining the sense of "complete" with "money in hand" to describe a transaction conducted wholly with physical currency or its immediate electronic equivalent, excluding any form of deferred payment or asset exchange.
Analysis
Structure: all (complete) + cash (money)
- all: From Old English eall, meaning "entire, whole, every." Functions as an intensifying prefix indicating totality.
- cash: From Old French casse or Italian cassa, meaning "money box," and ultimately from Latin capsa (box, case). Functions as the core noun, denoting ready money.
Examples
They made an all-cash offer on the house to make their bid more attractive.
The acquisition was an all-cash deal, simplifying the transfer of ownership.
For security reasons, the market stall only accepts all-cash payments.