I was shopping on-line for some obscure DVD's and found an advert for a set I wanted which boasted that it comes in its own "keepcase." I never thought that the little clear-plastic boxes in which DVD's come had a name. I always called it "the box." Keepcase seems not have found its way into many dictionaries yet but it is used extensively on the Net, as I discovered when I Googled it. (Shame, shame, for verbing a noun, Padre.)

CD cases are often referred to as 'jewel cases'; I hadn't heard of keepcases.

oh, and google as a verb? The American Dialect Society chose the verb to google as the "most useful word of 2002".

I, too, have heard the term "jewelcase" used to describe the little flat clear-plastic box in which both CD's and DVD's are sold. That never made any sense to me. Do the vendors think so highly of their product that they think it ought come encased in something fit for diamonds and rubies? In rating neologisms, I'd give "keepcase" a high C or low B and "jewelcase" an F.

Odd that the American Dialect Society never solicited me for membership. Who tattled?

My understanding was that the term "jewel case" was used because they look a lot like the boxes with the clear lids that watches and rings are packaged in after you've parted with your hard-earned dosh for them.

both CD's and DVD's

Mostly DVDs (no apostophe, thank you very much, it's a plural not a possessive) come in something a little bigger than a CD's (see?) jewel case and not transparent. Dunno I've ever heard it called anything other than a DVD case.

That never made any sense to me

Sense? This is language. We don' need no sense.

Mostly DVDs (no apostophe, thank you very much ...)

Whereas you, dear Faldo, appear to have no 'rs.

(at least that makes it difficult for you to be a sitting target)

no 'rs[sic]

Let that be a lesson to y'all, proof carefully for inadvertent typos when upbraiding others for advertent errors.

'Keepcase' reminds me too much of 'keepsake'... something with sentimental value... not like music or movies don't, but.

I'm thinking it's suggesting that it's a case you'd want to use to keep the CD in, as opposed to the plastic, paper, or, at best, cardboard sleeve that you so often get these days.

If a briefcase is a leather bag in which one keeps one's briefs, and a cardcase is a sort of stiff envelope in which one keeps calling- or business-cards, and a crankcase is that part of an automobile which houses the crankshaft, and a pillowcase is a cloth bag which holds a pillow, and a suitcase is a piece of luggage in which one carries a suit, then why isn't a keepcase the thing or place in which one keeps one's keep?

place in which one keeps one's keep

case closed...

case closed...

... and latched, with a lovely brass closure, perhaps with a monogram.

place in which one keeps one's keep

- especially if one has had to work hard to earn it.