Cabinet vs. Cupboard — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 3, 2023
Cabinet is a piece of furniture with doors and shelves. Cupboard is a storage area with doors, often in a kitchen.
Difference Between Cabinet and Cupboard
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Cabinet is a broad term that refers to a piece of furniture designed to store items. Cupboard is a type of storage area, often built into walls or freestanding in kitchens, meant to hold dishes and food.
The word Cabinet can be used in various contexts, from political gatherings to furniture, while Cupboard specifically implies a smaller storage space, generally for specific items.
In furniture terminology, a Cabinet might be a larger piece, perhaps consisting of multiple drawers, shelves, or compartments. A Cupboard is more specifically associated with a single storage area, often with shelves inside.
Both Cabinet and Cupboard can be found in a home, and while both serve storage functions, the nature and design of what they hold might differ.
A Cabinet might be designed to display decorative items, while a Cupboard, especially one in the kitchen, is more functional in nature, meant to keep items out of sight.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
A piece of furniture with shelves, drawers, or compartments
A built-in storage area or piece of furniture for storage, typically in a kitchen
Size
Generally larger
Generally smaller
Usage
Broader contexts (politics, furniture, etc.)
Primarily in kitchens or to hold specific items
Design
May have multiple compartments or drawers
Usually has shelves inside
Functionality
Can be decorative or functional
Primarily functional
Compare with Definitions
Cabinet
A piece of furniture with shelves or compartments
She stored her books in the antique cabinet.
Cupboard
A built-in storage area with shelves
She took a plate from the kitchen cupboard.
Cabinet
A body of advisors to a president or governor
The president introduced his new cabinet members.
Cupboard
A small closet or cabinet with doors
The cleaning supplies are in the cupboard under the sink.
Cabinet
An upright, cupboardlike repository with shelves, drawers, or compartments for the safekeeping or display of objects.
Cupboard
A piece of furniture used for storage
Their cupboard was filled with old board games.
Cabinet
(Computers) The box that houses the main components of a computer, such as the central processing unit, disk drives, and expansion slots.
Cupboard
A storage space for food items
The cupboard was bare, so they went shopping.
Cabinet
Often Cabinet A body of persons appointed by a head of state or a prime minister to head the executive departments of the government and to act as official advisers.
Cupboard
The term cupboard was originally used to describe an open-shelved side table for displaying dishware, more specifically plates, cups and saucers. These open cupboards typically had between one and three display tiers, and at the time, a drawer or multiple drawers fitted to them.
Cabinet
(Archaic) A small or private room set aside for a specific activity.
Cupboard
A closet or cabinet, usually with shelves for storing food, crockery, and utensils.
Cabinet
Rhode Island & Southeastern Massachusetts See milkshake.
Cupboard
(obsolete) A board or table used to openly hold and display silver plate and other dishware; a sideboard; a buffet. 18
Cabinet
Suitable for storage or display in a cabinet, as because of size or decorative quality.
Cupboard
(obsolete) Things displayed on a sideboard; dishware, particularly valuable plate. 19
Cabinet
Of, relating to, or being a member of a governmental cabinet
Cabinet matters.
A cabinet minister.
Cupboard
A cabinet, closet, or other piece of furniture with shelves intended for storing cookware, dishware, or food; similar cabinets or closets used for storing other items.
Put the cups back into the cupboard.
Cabinet
Used in the making of cabinets
Teak and other heavy cabinet wood.
Cupboard
(obsolete) Things stored in a cupboard; particularly food.
Cabinet
A storage closet either separate from, or built into, a wall.
Cupboard
To collect, as into a cupboard; to hoard.
Cabinet
A cupboard.
Cupboard
A board or shelf for cups and dishes.
Cabinet
The upright assembly that houses a coin-operated arcade game, a cab.
Cupboard
A small closet in a room, with shelves to receive cups, dishes, food, etc.; hence, any small closet.
Cabinet
(historical) A size of photograph, specifically one measuring 3⅞" by 5½".
Cupboard
To collect, as into a cupboard; to hoard.
Cabinet
A group of advisors to a government or business entity.
Cupboard
A small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
Cabinet
In parliamentary and some other systems of government, the group of ministers responsible for creating government policy and for overseeing the departments comprising the executive branch.
Cupboard
A recessed area in a wall for storage
He found the old diary hidden in a cupboard.
Cabinet
(Kentucky) A cabinet-level agency in the executive branch; that is, an agency headed by a member of the governor's cabinet.
Cabinet
(archaic) A small chamber or private room.
Cabinet
(often capitalized) A collection of art or ethnographic objects.
Cabinet
Milkshake.
Cabinet
(obsolete) A hut; a cottage; a small house.
Cabinet
An enclosure for mechanical or electrical equipment.
Cabinet
A hut; a cottage; a small house.
Hearken a while from thy green cabinet,The rural song of careful Colinet.
Cabinet
A small room, or retired apartment; a closet.
Cabinet
A private room in which consultations are held.
Philip passed some hours every day in his father's cabinet.
Cabinet
The advisory council of the chief executive officer of a nation; a cabinet council.
Cabinet
A set of drawers or a cupboard intended to contain articles of value. Hence:
Cabinet
Any building or room set apart for the safe keeping and exhibition of works of art, etc.; also, the collection itself.
Cabinet
Suitable for a cabinet; small.
He [Varnhagen von Ense] is a walking cabinet edition of Goethe.
Cabinet
To inclose
Cabinet
A cupboard-like repository or piece of furniture with doors and shelves and drawers; for storage or display
Cabinet
Persons appointed by a head of state to head executive departments of government and act as official advisers
Cabinet
A storage compartment for clothes and valuables; usually it has a lock
Cabinet
Housing for electronic instruments, as radio or television
Cabinet
A box-like container, usually large and sturdy
The radio was housed in a wooden cabinet.
Cabinet
A small chamber or private room
He retreated to his cabinet for some peace.
Cabinet
A case or cupboard for displaying curiosities or valuables
The museum's cabinet showcased rare gems.
Common Curiosities
Is a cupboard usually smaller than a cabinet?
Generally, yes. Cupboards are often smaller storage spaces, while cabinets can be larger pieces of furniture.
Are cupboards typically found in kitchens?
Yes, cupboards are commonly associated with kitchens and storing food items.
Can a cabinet be used to describe a political body?
Yes, "cabinet" can also refer to a body of advisors to a leader, e.g., the president's cabinet.
Is a cabinet the same as a cupboard?
No, while both serve storage functions, a cabinet is broader in meaning, and a cupboard is typically a storage area in a kitchen.
Can cabinets have drawers?
Yes, cabinets can have shelves, drawers, or compartments.
Are all cabinets made of wood?
No, while many are wooden, cabinets can also be made of metal, plastic, or other materials.
Can a cabinet be a decorative piece?
Yes, cabinets can be both functional and decorative, displaying items.
Do cupboards always have doors?
Typically, yes. Cupboards have doors to keep items out of sight.
Is it correct to refer to a built-in kitchen storage space as a cabinet?
While it's common to use "cupboard" for such spaces, "cabinet" is also used, especially in terms like "kitchen cabinets."
Can the term "cabinet" refer to an enclosed radio housing?
Yes, radios in the past were often housed in wooden cabinets.
Is a pantry the same as a cupboard?
Not exactly. While both are storage areas, a pantry is a specific room or closet where food is stored, and a cupboard is typically a cabinet or shelf within the kitchen.
Which is a more specific term, cabinet or cupboard?
Cupboard is more specific, usually indicating a storage space in a kitchen or for specific items.
Can "cabinet" refer to a private room?
Yes, historically, "cabinet" could refer to a small chamber or private room.
Do cupboards always have shelves?
Most cupboards have shelves, but designs can vary.
Are all cupboards built into walls?
No, while many are built-in, there are also standalone cupboards.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Auxiliary vs. Ancillary
Next Comparison
Dose vs. DozeAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
