cartoon

noun

car·​toon kär-ˈtün 

plural cartoons

1

: a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)

2

a

: a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor

a political cartoon

a cartoon drawing

b

: a group of drawings in narrative sequence : comic strip

3

: a video (such as a television show or movie) that is made from a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of inanimate objects (such as puppets) and that simulates movement by slight progressive changes in each frame : animated cartoon

4

: a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal or version

The film's villain is an entertaining cartoon.

cartoon verb

cartooning

kär-ˈtü-niŋ 

noun

cartoonish

kär-ˈtü-nish 

adjective

cartoonishly adverb

cartoonist

kär-ˈtü-nist 

noun

cartoonlike

kär-ˈtün-ˌlīk 

adjective

cartoony

kär-ˈtü-nē 

adjective

Synonyms of cartoon

• sketch
• drawing
• portrait
• depiction
• illustration
• image

Examples of cartoon in a Sentence

She enjoys reading the cartoons in the Sunday paper.

The kids are watching cartoons.

Recent Examples on the Web

Addams spent most of his career as a cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine, which published many of his Addams family cartoons, including his very first, in 1938. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026

Think flapper-era waves, 1930s screen sirens and yes, a literal cartoon as a mood board. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026

These are not, and no disrespect, cartoon characters or comic books. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

But many companies have been racing to develop vehicles straight out of science fiction movies and cartoons, with a few already selling aircraft. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian cartone pasteboard, cartoon, augmentative of carta leaf of paper — more at card entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1684, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cartoon

• animated cartoon
• strip cartoon

Rhymes for cartoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn
• jejune

Kids Definition

cartoon

noun

car·​toon kär-ˈtün 

1

: a design, drawing, or painting made as a model for the finished work

2

a

: a drawing intended as a humorous comment on public affairs

b

: comic strip

3

: animated cartoon

cartoonist

-ˈtü-nəst 

noun

Etymology

from Italian cartone "pasteboard, a sketch of a planned drawing or painting done on heavy paper," from carta "sheet of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to card entry 3, carton