carton
gb/kˈɑɹtən/ us/kˈɑɹtən/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
cardboard box or container
a cardboard box for things
Usage pattern:
a carton (of) [something]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse carton with cartoon (a funny drawing or animation).
Synonyms
box (More general; not specifically cardboard packaging.)
|
container (More general; can be any material.)
|
package (Focuses on the wrapped goods rather than the box itself.)
Collocations
a cardboard carton
|an empty carton
|a sealed carton
|a damaged carton
|a carton of food
|a carton of supplies
|open a carton
|recycle a carton
|carton packaging
|a carton lid
Themes
daily_life
|shopping
|packaging
Examples
- The phone came in a small carton with foam inside.
- Please put the bottles back in the carton after you check them.
- The warehouse stacked cartons along the wall.
Learner examples
- The cereal is in a carton.
- I recycled the carton.
Noun
A2
entity
2
paperboard container for drinks
a paper container for milk or juice
Usage pattern:
a carton of [liquid]
Common mistake:
In many contexts carton means the container itself, not the drink inside it.
Synonyms
container (General term; does not imply paperboard packaging.)
Collocations
a milk carton
|a juice carton
|a one-liter carton
|a half-gallon carton
|a carton of milk
|a carton of orange juice
|a resealable carton
|a carton with a cap
|shake the carton
|an open carton
Themes
food_and_drink
|daily_life
|shopping
Examples
- She poured a glass of milk from the carton.
- I bought a carton of orange juice for breakfast.
- Make sure the carton is closed before you put it back in the fridge.
Learner examples
- This is a carton of milk.
- The juice is in the carton.
Noun
B1
quantity
3
amount sold as a carton
the amount inside one carton
Usage pattern:
a carton of [something]
Common mistake:
The exact number in a carton depends on the product (for example, eggs vs. cigarettes).
Synonyms
pack (Often smaller; varies by product.)
|
case (Often larger and more common for bulk shipping.)
Collocations
a carton of eggs
|a carton of cigarettes
|buy a carton
|sell by the carton
|a full carton
|a carton contains
|a carton size
|a carton quantity
|one carton
|two cartons
Themes
shopping
|quantities
|business
Examples
- He picked up a carton of eggs on the way home.
- They sell it by the carton to restaurants.
- A carton of cigarettes is usually cheaper per pack.
Learner examples
- I need one carton of eggs.
- She bought two cartons.
Noun
business
B2
entity
4
large box for shipping goods
a big cardboard box for shipping
Usage pattern:
a carton of [items] / a carton containing [items]
Common mistake:
In shipping contexts, carton often means an outer shipping box, not the small retail package.
Synonyms
shipping box (Plain, descriptive term used in general speech.)
|
case (Common in logistics; sometimes implies a standardized package.)
Collocations
a shipping carton
|a master carton
|an outer carton
|a corrugated carton
|a carton label
|carton dimensions
|carton weight
|carton count
|pack into cartons
|cartons on a pallet
Themes
business
|logistics
|packaging
Examples
- The parts arrived in a heavy corrugated carton.
- Please label each carton with the destination address.
- They packed the books into cartons for transport.
Learner examples
- The goods are in a shipping carton.
Noun
C1
entity
5
stiff cardboard material
thick cardboard
Usage pattern:
[something] made of carton
Common mistake:
This use is less common in everyday English; most learners can use cardboard instead.
Synonyms
cardboard (The most common everyday term for the material.)
|
board (Broader; can include other stiff sheet materials.)
Collocations
a sheet of carton
|carton board
|cut from carton
|carton backing
|mount on carton
|thin carton
|thick carton
Themes
materials
|crafts
|packaging
Examples
- The model was mounted on a piece of carton to keep it flat.
- She cut letters from white carton for the display.
- Use thicker carton if you want it to stand up.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
6
full-size design drawing
a full-size planning drawing (art)
Usage pattern:
a carton for [an artwork]
Common mistake:
This sense is specialized and not the same word as cartoon, though the words are historically related.
Synonyms
cartoon (In art history, cartoon can mean a full-size preparatory drawing; in modern everyday English it usually means an animated or humorous drawing.)
Collocations
a preparatory carton
|a design carton
|a tapestry carton
|a stained-glass carton
|a surviving carton
|work from a carton
Themes
art
|design
|crafts
Examples
- The museum displayed the original carton for the tapestry.
- Artists worked from the carton to transfer the design onto the wall.
- Only fragments of the carton have survived.
Grammar
Dictionary form
carton
IPA
GB/kˈɑɹtən/
US/kˈɑɹtən/
Syllables & stress
car - ton (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (car)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: carton
- Plural: cartons
Word family
Forms
cartons
noun
Related words
cardboard
noun B1
Expressions
carton of cigarettes
1/kˈɑɹtən əv sˌɪɡɚˈɛts/
fixed phrase
bulk package of cigarettes
many packs of cigarettes sold together
Examples
- He bought a carton of cigarettes at the duty-free shop.
- Carrying a carton of cigarettes can be cheaper than buying single packs.
- The clerk asked for ID when she tried to buy a carton of cigarettes.
carton of eggs
1/kˈɑɹtən əv ˈɛɡz/
fixed phrase
eggs sold in one carton
eggs sold together in a box
Examples
- Can you grab a carton of eggs from the store?
- The recipe uses half a carton of eggs.
- She checked each carton of eggs to make sure none were cracked.
egg carton
1/ˈɛɡ kˈɑɹtən/
fixed phrase
container for holding eggs
a box for eggs
Examples
- Put the eggs back in the egg carton after you use them.
- The egg carton fell and two eggs cracked.
- She reused the egg carton for a craft project.
juice carton
1/d͡ʒˈus kˈɑɹtən/
fixed phrase
carton used for juice
a carton that has juice
Examples
- She packed a small juice carton in her lunch.
- The hotel served breakfast with coffee and juice cartons.
- Don’t forget to close the juice carton.
milk carton
1/mˈɪlk kˈɑɹtən/
fixed phrase
carton used for milk
a carton that has milk
Examples
- There’s a half-empty milk carton in the fridge.
- He rinsed the milk carton before recycling it.
- The child spilled milk when she squeezed the carton.
milk carton
5/mˈɪlk kˈɑɹtən/
fixed phrase
container for milk
a container that milk comes in
Examples
- There was an empty milk carton on the kitchen counter.
- Remember to recycle the milk carton.
shipping carton
1/ʃˈɪpɪŋ kˈɑɹtən/
fixed phrase
business
outer box for shipping
a box used to ship things
Examples
- The vendor packed the devices in a shipping carton with bubble wrap.
- Each shipping carton must be labeled with a tracking number.
- Open the shipping carton carefully to avoid cutting the product box.