cartouche

/kɑːˈtuːʃ/

//kɑːˈtuːʃ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cartouche" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cartouche” is an uncommon English word, ranked #71,381 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#71,381
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield.

Key facts for cartouche
PropertyValue
Headwordcartouche
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kɑːˈtuːʃ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#71,381
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cartouche” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cartouche lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cartouche is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɑːˈtuːʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #71,381 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for cartouche in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, from carta, from Latin charta, from Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs). Doublet of cartridge. The correct English form is cartouche, spelled C-A-R-T-O-U-C-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield.
  2. 2
    An oval figure containing the characters of an important personal name, such as that of royal or divine people.
  3. 3
    A decorative emblem on a globe or map.
  4. 4
    A paper cartridge.
  5. 5
    A wooden case filled with balls, to be shot from a cannon.
  6. 6
    A gunner's bag for ammunition.
  7. 7
    A military pass for a soldier on furlough.
  8. 8
    A parchment disc placed on top of food to limit evaporation, or to prevent a skin forming on soups and stews.

Etymology

Borrowed from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, from carta, from Latin charta, from Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs). Doublet of cartridge.

This word in other languages

cartucho(Español)cartouche(Français)Kartusche(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cartouche"?
"cartouche" is spelled C-A-R-T-O-U-C-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kɑːˈtuːʃ/.
What does "cartouche" mean?
As a noun, "cartouche" means: An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield.
How do you pronounce "cartouche"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cartouche" is /kɑːˈtuːʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cartouche"?
Borrowed from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, from carta, from Latin charta, from Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs). Doublet of cartridge. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cartouche”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-R-T-O-U-C-H-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɑːˈtuːʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list