Where does “chartjunk” come from?

chartjunk (English) comes from English chart, from French charte, from Middle French charte, from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula, from Latin charta, from French cartel, from Italian cartello — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

chartjunk (English): Unnecessary or distracting visual elements...

Definitions

  1. Unnecessary or distracting visual elements...

Ancestry of “chartjunk”, step by step

chartjunk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English chart

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishchartA map; A systematic non-narrative presentation of...
2Frenchchartecharter
3Middle Frenchchartecard, map
4Old Frenchchartrecharter; covenant; written agreement; record;...
5LatinchartulaDiminutive of charta a little paper; memorandum
6Latinchartapapyrus, paper; poem, a writing; map
7Frenchcartela cartel
8Italiancartellosign, notice, placard, signboard; signpost, road...
9Italiancartapaper; map; menu
10Latincartapapyrus; letter etc
11Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
12Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
13Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

via English junk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishjunkDiscarded or waste material; rubbish, trash,...
2Portuguesejuncoreed, rush; junk
3Arabicجُنْك
4MalayjongJong (a Javanese-Malay cargo and passenger ship)
5Javanesedjong
6Javaneseꦗꦺꦴꦁumbrella
7Kawijoṅ
8Proto-Mon-Khmer*d₂luuŋboat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer-