# cartoon

> English word · Noun · IPA /kɑːˈtuːn/ · frequency rank #6,221

## Definitions
1. A humorous drawing, often with a caption, or a strip of such drawings.
2. A drawing satirising current public figures.
3. An artist's preliminary sketch.
4. A full-sized drawing that serves as the template for a fresco, a tapestry, etc.
5. An animated piece of film which is often but not exclusively humorous.
6. A cartoon series.
7. A diagram in a scientific concept.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **cation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cartoon-vs-cation)
- **caution** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cartoon-vs-caution)
- **caron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caron-vs-cartoon)
- **carbon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cartoon)
- **Carson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carson-vs-cartoon)
- **canton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canton-vs-cartoon)
- **carton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carton-vs-cartoon)
- **caption** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caption-vs-cartoon)
- **Carlton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carlton-vs-cartoon)
- **Carlson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carlson-vs-cartoon)
- **Cartman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cartman-vs-cartoon)
- **carpool** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carpool-vs-cartoon)
- **carrion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carrion-vs-cartoon)

## Common misspellings (9)
`acrtoon`, `caroton`, `carrtoon`, `cartono`, `cartoonn`, `carttoon`, `catroon`, `ccartoon`, `cratoon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cartoon