Definition
A piece of office furniture with multiple drawers designed to store and organize paper documents, folders, and files in a compact vertical structure. The backbone of paper-based record-keeping systems.
Example Usage
The personnel records are kept in the locked file cabinet in the HR department.
Origin
File cabinets evolved from simple wooden boxes in the 1890s into standardized metal storage furniture as office management became systematized.
Fun Fact
The four-drawer lateral file cabinet became the standard office fixture in mid-20th century America and remains largely unchanged in design.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “file cabinet” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator