Cachepot

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A decorative holder that encases a flower pot while enhancing aesthetic appeal
2. An elegant vessel designed to conceal a plant's pot and provide a pleasing presentation
3. A container used to stylishly cover a flower pot, improving its visual appeal

Etymology: The word is a straightforward French compound built from two parts. "Cacher" means "to hide," and "cache-pot" literally names the thing that hides a pot, so a cachepot is an outer vessel that conceals a plainer flowerpot inside it. English took the term directly from French, and the idea is simple: the plant stays in its ordinary, drainable container while the decorative shell does the visible work. The hiding is the whole point of the design. Because the inner pot can be lifted out for watering and then returned, the outer container can be made of materials that would rot or waterlog if they held soil directly, such as ceramic, metal, or woven wicker. The name records that purpose in its first syllables.

Synonyms: planter, vase