Skip to the word

Added 7 October 2026

cartoon

/kɑːˈtuːn/ noun

Latin root: carta Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about cartoon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A humorous drawing, often with a caption, or a strip of such drawings.
A drawing satirising current public figures.
The newspaper published a political cartoon mocking the mayor.
An artist's preliminary sketch.

verb

To draw a cartoon, a humorous drawing.
To make a preliminary sketch.

Origin

In British English first, from French carton (“sketch, cardboard, card”), from Italian cartone (“cardboard, carton, box”), augmentative of carta (“paper”), from Latin carta (“papyrus, paper”), from Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs) (see there for further etymology). Doublet of carton and card.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word