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

From 1914 to 1916, satirical cartoons offered a distinctive form of storytelling in Women’s Wear. — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026

The cartoon was an instant hit, and in 1955, Lilli was immortalized in plastic. — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

In October, Semafor reported that the Daily Caller tweeted a cartoon of Bill Gates and the devil posing with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein wearing an Israeli flag Speedo. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

What readers are saying The conversation explores a mix of humor and skepticism regarding the use of AI, as depicted in Edith Pritchett's cartoon. — Edith Pritchett, Washington Post, 31 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