cartridge

cartridge — noun

1. a small, sealed container that holds ink, toner, film, or another material and i

1.nounB1
Definition

a small, sealed container that holds ink, toner, film, or another material and is designed to be placed inside a larger device. When it is empty or used up, you take it out and put a new one in its place.

Example

Hana bought a new ink cartridge for her printer at the electronics store.

cartridge + for + [device]

The pen stopped writing because the ink cartridge was empty.

Common collocations
  • printer cartridge
  • toner cartridge
  • ink cartridge
  • replace a cartridge
  • insert a cartridge
  • empty cartridge
  • recycled cartridge
  • refill a cartridge
  • slot in a cartridge
Synonyms
  • toner

    specifically the black powder used in laser printers — not a full synonym, but often used as a shorthand for 'toner cartridge'

  • ink tank

    a larger, refillable ink container; not disposable like a typical cartridge

Grammar Patterns

cartridge + for + [device]

cartridge + of + [material]

Usage Note

This sense covers many specific types: printer/toner cartridges, ink cartridges for pens, film cartridges for cameras, and game cartridges for consoles. The common thread is that the cartridge is a self-contained unit that can be swapped out when empty or obsolete. 'Cartridge' is often the object of verbs like 'replace', 'insert', 'remove', and 'refill'.

Common Mistakes

I changed the cartridge of the printer.
I replaced the printer cartridge.
For devices, we say 'printer cartridge' (noun modifier), not 'cartridge of the printer'.
The ink cartridge is finished.
The ink cartridge is empty.
In natural English, 'finished' is less common for consumables; use 'empty' or 'used up' instead.

2. a single round of firearm ammunition housed in a metal or plastic casing that ho

2.nounB2
Definition

a single round of firearm ammunition housed in a metal or plastic casing that holds the propellant powder and primer along with the projectile that is shot out when the gun fires. Once fired, the empty casing is thrown out of the weapon.

Example

The hunter loaded each cartridge carefully into the rifle before aiming.

load + cartridge + into + rifle

Police officers carry spare cartridges in a pouch on their belt.

Common collocations
  • live cartridge
  • spent cartridge
  • load a cartridge
  • fire a cartridge
  • rifle cartridge
  • pistol cartridge
  • shotgun cartridge
  • blank cartridge
  • cartridge case
  • eject the cartridge
Synonyms
  • round

    another word for a single cartridge; used commonly in military and shooting contexts ('fifty rounds of ammunition')

  • shell

    specifically a shotgun cartridge or an artillery projectile, often made of plastic or brass

Grammar Patterns

cartridge + of + [ammunition type]

live / spent cartridge

Usage Note

Distinguish this sense from 'bullet': a bullet is the metal projectile that exits the gun, while a cartridge is the entire self-contained unit (bullet + casing + powder + primer). In everyday speech, people sometimes say 'bullet' when they mean 'cartridge', but the two are technically different.

Common Mistakes

He loaded a bullet into the gun.' (when he loaded the whole unit).
He loaded a cartridge into the gun.
'Bullet' means only the projectile; the complete round is the 'cartridge'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Cartridge' is the broadest term — it describes any sealed, replaceable unit that supplies a material (ink, toner, film, game data) to a device. 'Toner' specifically refers to the fine powder used in laser printers, and people often shorten 'toner cartridge' to just 'toner' ('the toner needs replacing'). An 'ink tank' is a larger, refillable container found in newer printers — unlike a cartridge, it is not meant to be thrown away; you pour ink into it. A 'refill' is the ink or toner itself sold in a bottle or syringe to top up an empty cartridge. In everyday conversation, 'I need a new cartridge' is the safest choice when the type is clear from context.

cartridge ↗tonerink tankrefill ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • empty cartridge
  • spent cartridge
  • live cartridge
  • recycled cartridge

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'cartridge' came into English in the late 1500s as a variant of 'cartage' (from French 'cartouche'), which originally meant a roll of paper or a pasteboard container. The first cartridges were paper tubes holding gunpowder and a bullet for quicker reloading. By the 1800s, the word extended from firearm ammunition to any small, self-contained container inserted into a larger mechanism — first camera film, then pens, printers, and game consoles.