Sachet vs. Sashay

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Grammarist

Sachet and sashay are two words that are pronounced in the same manner but are spelled differently and have different meanings. We will look at the difference in meanings between sachet and sashay, where the terms come from and some examples of their use in sentences.

A sachet is a small, soft pouch that contains dried materials with a pleasant scent. Sachets are often placed in drawers in order to keep clothes smelling pleasant and to deter moths. Some common contents of sachets are dried lavender, cedar chips or rose hips. In British English, the word sachet may also indicate a small, sealed packet with a small amount of something in it, such as sugar, salt or shampoo. The word sachet is taken from the French sachet, meaning small sack.

Sashay is primarily a North American word, meaning to move in an exaggerated but casual manner, sometimes meaning a dance move, sometimes meaning to move through a room in a fashion that will call attention to oneself. The word sashay is a corruption of the French word chassé, which refers to a gliding step. Sashay is a verb, related words are sashays, sashayed, sashaying.

Examples

In order to do that, students created 70 lavender aromatherapy sachets to give to the residents of Vinson Hall Retirement Community, which is located just up the street from the school. (The Falls Church News-Press)

A statement issued on Tuesday by the ministry of Trade, in part, reads: “Government has given alcohol manufacturers up to September 30, 2017 as a deadline to stop the sale of alcohol packaged in sachets.” (The Monitor)

Why can’t America be like England where boring people get to yell at each other about policy and one person gets to wear ermine and sashay elegantly around touching babies and having diamond jubilees? (The Washington Post)

Not only can Len Goodman still sashay his way around the dance floor – he also knows his music – and it’s a 10 from me! (The Burton Mail)

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