a film made by photographing a series of cartoon drawings to give the illusion of movement when projected in rapid sequence
"The children were thrilled when the old theater screened that classic cartoon, watching the characters dance across the screen through a series of rapidly changing drawings."
A humorous drawing, often with a caption, or a strip of such drawings.
"The old newspaper carried a funny cartoon about how difficult it was to find parking downtown."
In plain English: A cartoon is a funny drawing, usually with exaggerated features, that tells a story or makes people laugh.
"I sat on the sofa to watch my favorite cartoon with my siblings."
Usage: Use "cartoon" to refer to a humorous single-panel drawing or a comic strip featuring exaggerated characters and situations. Avoid using it for non-humorous illustrations or long-form animated movies unless the specific context clearly distinguishes them from standard comics.
draw cartoons of
"She decided to quit her office job and start drawing cartoons for a local newspaper."
To draw a cartoon, a humorous drawing.
"After finishing her coffee break, Sarah spent twenty minutes sketching a funny cartoon of her boss sleeping at his desk to share on the office bulletin board."
In plain English: To cartoon something means to draw it in a funny, exaggerated style.
"The editor decided to cartoon the photos to make them look more humorous."
Usage: To cartoon something means to create a humorous drawing or illustration of it, often used when depicting people or objects in an exaggerated, comic style. You would use this verb when describing the act of sketching a funny picture rather than simply watching one.
The word "cartoon" entered English in the 18th century via French carton, which originally meant a sketch or piece of cardboard. It traces its roots back to Latin carta (paper) and Ancient Greek khártēs.