carton

[ kahr-tn ]

/ ˈkɑr tn /

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See synonyms for carton on Thesaurus.com

noun

a cardboard or plastic box used typically for storage or shipping.

the amount a carton can hold.

the contents of a carton.

a cardboardlike substance consisting of chewed plant material often mixed with soil, made by certain insects for building nests.

verb (used with object)

to pack in a carton: to carton eggs for supermarket sales.

verb (used without object)

to make or form cardboard sheets into cartons.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

their

there

they're

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of carton

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

OTHER WORDS FROM carton

un·car·toned, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carton

carton , cartoon

Words nearby carton

cart off, cartogram, cartographer, cartography, cartomancy, carton, cartonnier, carton-pierre, cartoon, cartoonish, cartop

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for carton

Even when served in a carton, the entree looks impressive and tastes ambitious.
Twin bistros in Northern Virginia put a personal spin on Indian cooking|Tom Sietsema|March 5, 2021|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.
Like a good neighbor, Pennyroyal Station is there for you|Tom Sietsema|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
The camera follows his hand as it reaches into a carton of eggs, and then pans out to reveal a cast-iron skillet.
The war on drugs didn’t work. Oregon’s plan might.|Kat Eschner|December 17, 2020|Popular Science
For example, you could write an article about making Fall décor from egg cartons.
Five quick SEO wins to give your website a boost in search|Anthony Gaenzle|November 23, 2020|Search Engine Watch

And at $29.99, lighting up all sense of parental dignity and responsibility costs less than a carton of actual cigarettes.
Sexy Ebola Nurse & More of the Year’s Worst Halloween Costumes|Kevin Fallon|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Just be sure to choose a slimmed-down carton since the fat in whole milk can delay fluid replacement.
10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren’t Water)|DailyBurn|July 25, 2014|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.
How Sexism Could Bring Down Japan’s Government|Angela Erika Kubo, Jake Adelstein|June 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On each carton of Plan B One-Step, a widely used emergency contraceptive, is an FDA-approved drug label (PDF).
Why Can’t the FDA Fix Outdated Birth Control Labels?|Tiffany Stanley|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The child was then sent on his or her way, with a piece of fruit and a carton of milk.
The Schools That Starve Students to Punish Deadbeat Parents|Brandy Zadrozny|January 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A boy with a carton of groceries almost ran down Louis, then ducked down into the delivery entrance of the apartment-hotel.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Up to the present, Mr. Carton has shown that he possesses wit and talent, but neither observation nor the inventive faculty.
The English Stage|Augustin Filon
If it is bought in paper cartons, it should be rewrapped and replaced in the carton each time some is cut off for use.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Carton drank the toast, and flung his glass over his shoulder against the wall, where it shivered in pieces.
The World's Greatest Books, Vol III|Arthur Mee and J.A. Hammerton, Eds.
Climbing to a high chamber in a well of houses, Carton threw himself down in his clothes on a neglected bed.
The World's Greatest Books, Vol III|Arthur Mee and J.A. Hammerton, Eds.

British Dictionary definitions for carton

carton

/ (ˈkɑːtən) /

noun

a cardboard box for containing goods

a container of waxed paper or plastic in which liquids, such as milk, are sold

shooting

a white disc at the centre of a target
a shot that hits this disc

verb (tr)

to enclose (goods) in a carton

Word Origin for carton

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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carton