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noun

cartouche

kah-TOOSH
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Cartouche (noun) means an oval frame in Egyptian hieroglyphics enclosing a royal or divine name. Example: “The archaeologist identified the pharaoh's name inside the cartouche.”

noun
1
An oval frame in Egyptian hieroglyphics enclosing a royal or divine name.
"In 1762, Jean-Jacques Barthélemy, a French priest who was a scholar of Eastern languages, had made the inspired guess that the cartouches set off words of great importance, such as the names of gods or rulers." — Margalit Fox, The Riddle of the Labyrinth (2013)
"The archaeologist identified the pharaoh's name inside the cartouche."
2
An ornamental oval or scroll-shaped design used in architecture or on maps.
"The old map had an elaborate cartouche in one corner listing the cartographer's name."

How to use cartouche

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly known as the oval symbol surrounding a name in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

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Word forms

Plural
cartouches
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Fill the gap

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The archaeologist identified the pharaoh's name inside the _____.

Etymology

Borrowed from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, ultimately from Latin charta ("paper") — a doublet of "cartridge."

Origin: Latin

cartouch

Rhymes for cartouche

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Frequently asked questions

What does “cartouche” mean?
The word “cartouche” means an oval frame in Egyptian hieroglyphics enclosing a royal or divine name. In plain terms, most commonly known as the oval symbol surrounding a name in Egyptian hieroglyphics.
How do you pronounce “cartouche”?
“Cartouche” is pronounced kah-TOOSH (/kɑɹˈtuʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “cartouche” in a sentence?
Here is “cartouche” used in a sentence: “The archaeologist identified the pharaoh's name inside the cartouche.”
What part of speech is “cartouche”?
“Cartouche” is a noun.
Where does the word “cartouche” come from?
The word “cartouche” comes from Latin. Borrowed from French cartouche, from Italian cartuccia, ultimately from Latin charta ("paper") — a doublet of "cartridge.".
How many meanings does “cartouche” have?
“Cartouche” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an oval frame in Egyptian hieroglyphics enclosing a royal or divine name.