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Ingenealogy, acadet is a youngerson, as opposed to the firstbornheir.
The word has been recorded inEnglish since 1634, originally for a young son, identical to theFrench, which is itself derived from theGasconOccitan (spoken inGascony in southwest France)capdet "captain, chief", in turn from theLate Latincapitellum, the diminutive of Latincaput "head" (hence also chief).
Younger sons from Gascon families were apparently commonly sent to the French court to serve as officers; as a rule, non-heirs from the European nobility sought careers in the military or the clergy.
As an adjective, "cadet" is used to signify a junior branch of a family. Thus, theOrléans line was acadet branch of theBourbon family, which itself was acadet branch of theHouse of Capet.
For the status as such, the nouncadency exists, as in theheraldic termmark of cadency, for a feature which distinguishes a cadet son'scoat of arms from the father's which is passed on unaltered only to the (usually firstborn) heir.
Military has been the traditional career choice of the nobility throughout the centuries, and it has been customary that the firstborn son inherited the title, lands and possessions, while the younger sons of a noble family went to the military, often to be trained as officers. Hence the meaning "cadet branch" for a junior branch of a family and the term "cadet" for an officer trainee.