card

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A piece of stiff paper, often folded, sent to someone with a message or picture.

   They sent us a card from Miami while they were on holiday.

2. 2
   noun

   A small piece of stiff paper marked with numbers or pictures, used to play games.

   He shuffled the cards and dealt seven to each player.

3. 3
   noun

   A small plastic or paper card that proves who you are or lets you do something.

   We had to show our cards to get into the building.

4. 4
   verb

   To ask someone to show proof of their age before selling them alcohol.

   The bartender carded me when I tried to buy a beer.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Card entered English in the medieval period through French carte, from Latin charta, meaning “papyrus leaf” or “paper.” Its earliest recorded English sense was “playing card,” from which many later expressions developed.

From Middle English carde, Old French carde, from Old Occitan carda, deverbal from cardar, from Late Latin *carito, from Latin carō (“to comb with a card”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary