Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cartouche” come from?

Cartouche comes from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, from Italian carta meaning "paper," from Latin charta, from Ancient Greek χάρτης, related to Ancient Greek χαράσσω meaning "to scratch or engrave," from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer-.

cartouche (English): An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield; An...

Definitions

  1. An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield; An...

Ancestry of “cartouche”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcartouchecartouche; title block; cartridge
2Italiancartucciacartridge
3Italiancartapaper; map; menu
4Latincartapapyrus; letter etc
5Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
6Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →