Carton
/ˈkɑːr.tən/noun
A stiff paper or cardboard container, typically used for packaging or holding liquids.
Did you know?Carton ultimately comes from Latin *charta*, “paper” or “leaf of papyrus,” the same ancient root behind scholarly words like *chart* and *charter*.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
khártēs
“Papyrus sheet; paper made from papyrus”
Latin
Latin
charta
“Paper, sheet of writing material”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
carto
“A sheet or piece of paper; later a cardboard container”
Old French
French
carton
“Thick paper; pasteboard”
18th–19th Century
English
carton
“A box or container made of pasteboard or cardboard”
Modern English
English
carton
“A stiff paper or cardboard container, often for packaging”