1540s, "secret storehouse, treasure chamber; case for valuables," from French cabinet "small room" (16c.), diminutive of Old French cabane "cabin" (see cabin); perhaps influenced by (or from) Italian gabbinetto, diminutive of gabbia, from Latin cavea "stall, stoop, cage, den for animals" (see cave (n.)).

The meaning "case for safe-keeping" (of papers, liquor, etc.) is from 1540s, gradually shading to mean a piece of furniture that does this. The sense of "private room where advisers meet" (c. 1600) led to the modern political meaning "an executive council" (1640s); perhaps originally short for cabinet council (1620s); compare board (n.1) in its evolution from place where some group meets to the word for the meeting group. From 1670s also "building or part of a building set aside for the conservation and study of natural specimens, art, antiquities, etc."

"one whose occupation is the making of household furniture," 1680s, from cabinet + maker.

1825, "the art or craft of making cabinets;" 1857, "cabinets collectively;" from cabinet + -ry.

1712, verbal noun from file (v.1). Filing cabinet is from 1883.

1706, "a cabinet; an ornamental base structure," from French console "a bracket" (16c.), which is of uncertain origin, possibly from consolateur, literally "one who consoles" (see console (v.)), being used somehow for carved human figures supporting cornices, shelves or rails in choir stalls. Another guess connects it to Latin consolidare "to make solid" (see consolidate).

The sense evolved to "body of a musical organ" (1881), "radio cabinet" (1925), then "cabinet for a TV, stereo, etc." (1944). Console-table is attested from 1813.

late 14c., "a board or table to place cups and like objects," from cup (n.) + board (n.1). As a type of open or closed cabinet for food, etc., from early 16c.

"leading minister of a government, the chief of the cabinet or ministry," 1640s, see prime (adj.) and minister (n.). Applied to the First Minister of State of Great Britain since 1694.

"small cabinet with drawers for women's needlework, cloth, etc.," 1806, from French chiffonnier, a transferred use, literally "rag gatherer," from chiffon, diminutive of chiffe "rag, piece of cloth, scrap, flimsy stuff" (see chiffon).

mid-14c., "one who draws (water from a well, etc.); one who pulls, drags, or transports," agent noun from draw (v.). Also formerly "a waiter, bartender" (1560s). Attested from 1570s in sense of "a box-shaped receptacle that can be 'drawn' or pulled out of a cabinet, bureau, table, etc., by sliding it horizontally."

mythical land in L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (1900) and sequels; according to an anecdote written by Baum in 1903, inspired by a three-drawer desktop cabinet letter file, the last drawer labeled O-Z. As Australian slang for "Australia," attested by 1983.