carton

[ kahr-tn ]

noun

1. a cardboard or plastic box used typically for storage or shipping.
2. the amount a carton can hold.
3. the contents of a carton.
4. a cardboardlike substance consisting of chewed plant material often mixed with soil, made by certain insects for building nests.

verb (used with object)

1. to pack in a carton:

   to carton eggs for supermarket sales.

verb (used without object)

1. to make or form cardboard sheets into cartons.

carton

/ ˈkɑːtən /

noun

1. a cardboard box for containing goods
2. a container of waxed paper or plastic in which liquids, such as milk, are sold
3. shooting
   1. a white disc at the centre of a target
   2. a shot that hits this disc

verb

1. to enclose (goods) in a carton

Other Words From

• un·cartoned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of carton¹

1780–90; < French < Italian cartone pasteboard; cartoon

Word History and Origins

Origin of carton¹

C19: from French, from Italian cartone pasteboard, from carta card ¹

Example Sentences

Unless, of course, there’s something saucy in a carton of takeout waiting to be used.

From Washington Post

As the dairy industry struggles and demand for plant milks booms, shoppers have grown accustomed to seeing cartons of Almond Breeze and Rice Dream.

From Washington Post

The cartons I opened suggested that someone knew their way around a Thai kitchen.

From Washington Post

Even when served in a carton, the entree looks impressive and tastes ambitious.

From Washington Post

I spooned into a carton of winter pumpkin soup from the new-in-November Pennyroyal Station in Mount Rainier and ended up scrape-scrape-scraping the bottom of the package.

From Washington Post

And at $29.99, lighting up all sense of parental dignity and responsibility costs less than a carton of actual cigarettes.

From The Daily Beast

Just be sure to choose a slimmed-down carton since the fat in whole milk can delay fluid replacement.

From The Daily Beast

The police managed to seize an empty egg carton left behind at the scene; they already have a male suspect in custody, they say.

From The Daily Beast

On each carton of Plan B One-Step, a widely used emergency contraceptive, is an FDA-approved drug label (PDF).

From The Daily Beast

The child was then sent on his or her way, with a piece of fruit and a carton of milk.

From The Daily Beast

A boy with a carton of groceries almost ran down Louis, then ducked down into the delivery entrance of the apartment-hotel.

From Project Gutenberg

Up to the present, Mr. Carton has shown that he possesses wit and talent, but neither observation nor the inventive faculty.

From Project Gutenberg

If it is bought in paper cartons, it should be rewrapped and replaced in the carton each time some is cut off for use.

From Project Gutenberg

Carton drank the toast, and flung his glass over his shoulder against the wall, where it shivered in pieces.

From Project Gutenberg

Climbing to a high chamber in a well of houses, Carton threw himself down in his clothes on a neglected bed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• container
• crate
• packet