Definition

Noun: 1. A cartridge, typically one with a paper casing: A cylindrical case, often made of paper, containing the charge and projectile (or other payload) for a firearm or other weapon. 2. An architectural or decorative oval or oblong frame: In art and architecture, a carved or molded ornamental panel, often in the shape of an unrolled scroll or shield, used to bear an inscription, coat of arms, or emblem. This meaning is more commonly spelled cartouche.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Firearms):
  • The soldier loaded a fresh cartouch into his musket.
  • Archaeologists found several paper cartouches from the 18th century at the battlefield site.
• Noun (Art/Architecture - usually "cartouche"):
  • The pharaoh's name was inscribed inside a stone cartouche on the temple wall.
  • The ornate cartouche above the door displayed the family crest.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• Spelling Distinction: The spelling cartouch is now archaic and primarily used in historical contexts, especially relating to early firearms. The modern and more common spelling for both meanings is cartouche. In contemporary English, "cartridge" is the standard term for the ammunition component.
• Historical Context: When discussing military history (e.g., the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War), "cartouch" or "cartouche" may appear in primary sources to refer to the paper-wrapped ammunition of the period.
• Egyptology: In Egyptology, a cartouche is specifically the oval loop that encloses a royal name in hieroglyphics, symbolizing the pharaoh's rule over all that the sun encircles.

Variants and Related Words

• Cartouche (n.): The modern and more frequent spelling for both definitions.
• Cartridge (n.): The standard contemporary term for a case containing a bullet and propellant.
• Case (n.): A general term for a container or shell.
• Plaque (n.): A flat, often inscribed, decorative plate.

Synonyms

• For the ammunition sense: cartridge, round, shell (context-dependent).
• For the ornamental sense: panel, ornamental frame, escutcheon, tablet.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Cartouche box: (Historical) A leather or wooden box worn on a belt for holding paper cartridges.
  • The infantryman reached into his cartouche box for another round.

Noun

1. a cartridge (usually with paper casing)