Etymology Map
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Carton

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a light box made of cardboard

Where does the word "carton" come from? It comes from Latin charta, passing through French before entering English (1780s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
charta
Latin · ancient
"paper"
from Greek 'khartēs', papyrus
2
Stage 2 of 3
carton
French · 1700s
"pasteboard"
came via Italian 'cartone', thick paper
3
Stage 3 of 3
carton
English · 1780s
"pasteboard"
milk 'cartons' date from the 1900s
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Read the full story

Carton’s story begins in Latin: charta meant “paper.” From Greek 'khartēs', papyrus. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as carton. Came via Italian 'cartone', thick paper. It reached English by 1780s as carton. Milk 'cartons' date from the 1900s. Today, carton means a light box made of cardboard.