cartridge

/ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cartridge” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,477 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,477
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The package consisting of the bullet, primer, and casing containing gunpowder; a round of ammunition.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cartridge vs carriage
78% similar
cartridge vs Cambridge
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cartridge
PropertyValue
Headwordcartridge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,477
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cartridge” 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). cartridge 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 cartridge is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,477 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for cartridge, with forms such as "acrtridge", "carrtidge", and "carrtridge". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "carriage", "Cambridge", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Corruption of earlier cartage, from French cartouche, from Italian cartoccio (“roll of paper”), from Medieval Latin carta (“paper”). Doublet of cartouche. The correct English form is cartridge, spelled C-A-R-T-R-I-D-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The package consisting of the bullet, primer, and casing containing gunpowder; a round of ammunition.
  2. 2
    A prefabricated subassembly that can be easily installed in or removed from a larger mechanism or replaced with another interchangeable subassembly.
  3. 3
    A vessel which contains the ink or toner for a computer printer and can be easily replaced with another.
  4. 4
    Magnetic tape storage, used for storing (backup) copies of data.
  5. 5
    A removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices, used for rapid loading of software onto a home computer or video game console.
  6. 6
    A small paper package, e.g. in an old book about making printer's type: After all the type has been cast: "The Boy will paper up each sort in a cartridge by itself".

Etymology

Corruption of earlier cartage, from French cartouche, from Italian cartoccio (“roll of paper”), from Medieval Latin carta (“paper”). Doublet of cartouche.

This word in other languages

cartucho(Español)cartouche(Français)Patrone(Deutsch)cartucho(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acrtridge,carrtidge,carrtridge,cartirdge,cartrdige,cartriddge,cartrideg,cartridgge,cartrigde,cartrridge,carttridge,catrridge,ccartridge,cratridge

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cartridge - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

acrtridge2carrtidge2carrtridge1cartirdge2cartrdige2cartriddge1cartrideg2cartridgge1
Edit distance from "cartridge"

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 "cartridge"?
"cartridge" is spelled C-A-R-T-R-I-D-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "cartridge" mean?
As a noun, "cartridge" means: The package consisting of the bullet, primer, and casing containing gunpowder; a round of ammunition.
What words are commonly confused with "cartridge"?
"cartridge" is commonly confused with "carriage", "Cambridge". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cartridge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cartridge" is /ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/. 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 "cartridge"?
Corruption of earlier cartage, from French cartouche, from Italian cartoccio (“roll of paper”), from Medieval Latin carta (“paper”). Doublet of cartouche. 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 “cartridge”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-R-T-R-I-D-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɑː.tɹɪd͡ʒ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “carriage” - see the side-by-side comparison. cartridge vs carriage
  • 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