carte
1 Americannoun
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(italics) menu; bill of fare.
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a playing card.
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Archaic. a map or chart.
noun
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carte
before 1150; Middle English, Old English: writing paper, document, letter < Latin charta < Greek chártēs sheet of papyrus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Immigration agents, I noted, were acting as though they had carte blanche to detain people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, conducting raids that sometimes swept up American citizens.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
If a specific low-value item is what you actually want, experts suggest ordering it a la carte and reserving your “endless” capacity for the more expensive stuff.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
Diners can choose between two omakase menus, with optional nigiri add-ons, late-night alternatives and à la carte selections.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026
“He is totally beholden to the base, and they are totally opposed to giving the U.S. carte blanche,” Rahman said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
He smiled mysteriously and pulled a much-handled carte de visite from his pocket.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.