Definition

Noun: 1. A small, scented lozenge or pastille: A cachou is a type of small, often sweetened tablet, typically flavored and perfumed. Its primary traditional use is to freshen the breath and mask odors, such as those from tobacco or certain foods.

Usage

Cachous are consumed by allowing them to dissolve slowly in the mouth. They are used as a breath freshener or a discreet way to impart a pleasant scent to one's breath. - He always kept a tin of cachous in his pocket to use after smoking a cigar. - Before the meeting, she discreetly took a cachou to ensure her breath was fresh.

Advanced Usage

• Historical and social context: In the past, cachous were particularly popular in social settings where smoking was common but where having fresh breath was considered polite or necessary. They are less common today but are still associated with a certain old-fashioned elegance.
• As a collectible item: Vintage cachou tins are sometimes collected for their decorative art and historical value.

Variants and Related Words

• Breath mint: A more modern and general term for a product used to freshen breath. While all cachous are breath mints, not all breath mints are traditionally considered cachous, as cachous often imply a specific, perfumed lozenge form.
• Pastille: A broader term for a small, medicated or flavored lozenge. A cachou is a specific type of scented pastille.
• Lozenges: The general category of solid, dissolvable dosage forms to which cachous belong.

Synonyms

• Breath freshener
• Perfumed lozenge
• Scented pastille

Notes

• The word "cachou" is derived from the French word of the same spelling, which itself comes from a Tamil word for the acacia tree (), from which a type of astringent extract was originally obtained. Modern cachous do not necessarily contain this extract but retain the name.

Noun

1. a scented lozenge used to sweeten the breath (e.g. to conceal the odor of tobacco)