cartridges

IPA/ˈkɑː.trɪdʒ/
KK[kˈɑrtrədʒəz]IPA/ˈkɑːr.trɪdʒ/

cartridges — noun

  • cartridgessingular
  • cartridgesesplural

1. a sealed container or unit designed to contain a material (such as ink, toner, o

1.nounB2
Definition

a sealed container or unit designed to contain a material (such as ink, toner, or a computer program) and to be placed inside a larger device, then removed and replaced when it runs out or is no longer needed.

Example

Mei put a new ink cartridge into the printer before printing her wedding invitations.

ink cartridge — most common type for home printers

Henry's old game console still works, but he cannot find new game cartridges for it anymore.

game cartridge — old-style video game format

Common collocations
  • ink cartridge
  • toner cartridge
  • game cartridge
  • filter cartridge
  • replace a cartridge
  • change a cartridge
  • swap the cartridge
  • empty cartridge
  • refill a cartridge
Synonyms
  • cassette

    specifically a sealed plastic case holding tape or film; now less common for digital devices

  • module

    usually refers to a larger, more complex replaceable unit in electronic systems

  • container

    much more general; does not imply that the container is designed to be inserted into a machine

Grammar Patterns

cartridge + for + [machine/device]

cartridge + of + [substance]

2. a metal or plastic tube that holds the explosive powder and the projectile (a bu

2.nounB2
Definition

a metal or plastic tube that holds the explosive powder and the projectile (a bullet) inside it and is designed to be fired from a gun.

Example

Arjun loaded six cartridges into the magazine before stepping up to the shooting range.

load cartridges — typical collocation for preparing a firearm

The hunting shop sells boxes of rifle cartridges in different calibres for deer season.

Common collocations
  • live cartridge
  • blank cartridge
  • rifle cartridge
  • pistol cartridge
  • load cartridges
  • box of cartridges
  • cartridge case
  • spent cartridge
  • hunting cartridge
Synonyms
  • round

    the most common synonym for a single unit of ammunition; 'round' is slightly more informal

  • shell

    usually used for shotgun ammunition or artillery projectiles, not standard rifle or pistol cartridges

  • ammunition

    the general uncountable term for all cartridges collectively; you cannot count 'one ammunition'

Grammar Patterns

cartridge + of + [calibre/type]

cartridge + for + [firearm]

Usage Note

A cartridge contains the bullet (the projectile), the gunpowder (the propellant), and the primer (the ignition source). In everyday informal speech people often say 'bullet' when they mean 'cartridge', but strictly speaking the bullet is only the front metal piece that leaves the gun.

Common Mistakes

He put a bullet into the rifle.
He loaded a cartridge into the rifle.
The 'bullet' is just the projectile at the front of the cartridge; the whole unit is called a 'cartridge' before it is fired.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'cartridge' is a sealed unit that holds something (ink, toner, software, water) and plugs directly into a device so it can be used up and then swapped. A 'cassette' is a similar idea but specifically describes a plastic case that holds magnetic tape or film — common in the 1980s–90s for music, movies, and data storage, and now less frequent in everyday use. A 'module' is a broader term for a self-contained section of a larger electronic system (e.g., a memory module, a solar panel module); it is not necessarily disposable and may be designed for repair rather than replacement. 'Container' is a completely general word for any object that holds something — a jar, a box, a bottle, or a cartridge — and does not carry the idea of a docking or insertion mechanism. For example: 'I bought a new ink cartridge for the printer' (correct — plugs in), vs. 'I bought a new container for the printer' (confusing — sounds like a bin or box near the printer).

cartridge ↗cassette ↗module ↗container ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • printer cartridge
  • ink cartridge
  • toner cartridge
  • game cartridge
  • filter cartridge
  • rifle cartridge
  • pistol cartridge

Phrases

  • replace the cartridge
  • change the cartridge
  • load the cartridge
  • box of cartridges
  • spent cartridge

Prepositions

  • cartridge for [device]
  • cartridge of [substance/calibre]

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'cartridge' comes from the older French word 'cartouche', which originally meant a roll of paper or a scroll. In the 1500s, French soldiers used paper rolls to hold gunpowder and a ball for their muskets, calling them 'cartouches'. English borrowed the term as 'cartridge' in the 1600s, and by the 1800s it was also being used for replaceable containers in machines — first in photography (film cartridges), then in printing, computing, and other devices.

First known use

1626

1626, in the meaning defined above