1
2
cards plural in form but singular or plural in construction
a
: a game played with cards
b
: card playing
3
a
: something (such as an advantage) compared to a valuable playing card in one's hand
holding all the cards in negotiations
b
: an issue especially with emotional appeal that is brought into play to achieve a desired end (such as winning a political campaign)
played the race card
4
a
: greeting card
a birthday card
b
: a flat stiff usually small and rectangular piece of material (such as paper, cardboard, or plastic) usually bearing information: such as
(1)
: postcard
(2)
(3)
(4)
: one bearing a picture (as of a baseball player) on one side and usually statistical data on the other
(5)
: one on which computer information is stored (as in the form of punched holes or magnetic encoding)
(6)
: one bearing electronic circuit components for insertion into a larger electronic device (such as a computer)
(7)
c
: program
especially
: a sports program
three fights on the card
d(1)
: a wine list
(2)
: menu
5
informal + old-fashioned
: a usually clownishly amusing person : wag
He's such a card!
6
carded; carding; cards
1
: to ask for identification (as in a bar)
We all got carded.
2
: score
a golfer carding a 75
3
: to place or fasten on or by means of a card
4
: to provide with a card
5
: to list or record on a card
carded; carding; cards
: to cleanse, disentangle, and collect together (fibers) by the use of cards preparatory to spinning
carder
noun
1
: an instrument or machine for carding fibers that consists usually of bent wire teeth set closely in rows in a thick piece of leather fastened to a back
2
: an implement for raising a nap on cloth
Synonyms
Examples of card in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Issy Ronald, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Scheffler carded a double-bogey and fell down the leaderboard.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
Now cards this season featuring student-athletes, including 61 cards featuring basketball players.
—Doug Feinberg, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
The Northern Irishman had cut an exasperated figure following a double-bogey at the par-four 14th, but roared home with three consecutive birdies to card 69 – a score exactly in-between his brilliant opening 65 and error-strewn second round 73.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Can card issuers still raise interest rates and other charges?
—The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024
On that occasion, Ciampi carded Delgado for tripping Sergio Busquets although replays clearly showed Delgado never touched the Inter Miami player, who ran into a sliding Delgado and fell.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
The 28-year-old former star of the Southern California junior golf scene carded birdies on four consecutive holes in his back nine on the Nicklaus course.
—Greg Beacham, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Cardholders will be happier, as will card issuers be in a better state as a consequence of fewer calls from unhappy card members.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Those successful at the ring toss game will get a card that offers an idea for an act of kindness.
—Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Both memberships include a card for a second household member.
—Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
The company also allowed people to buy crypto via credit cards; at times that was money an investor didn’t really have, but the hope was that a coin’s value would go up faster than the interest accrued on the card.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
This particular tablet comes with 32GB of internal storage with the option to expand for more through a microSD card slot.
—Stackcommerce Team, PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
Their Family + card, available to all families with three or more children, entitled them to 20 percent off many supplies around the city and was linked to the local Despar supermarket for additional discounts.
—Gaia Pianigiani, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
The card was used by staffers in the City Manager’s Office.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
Instead of fearing this feeling and running from it, use this month as a great opportunity to face your inner demons head-on as the Devil card arrives.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2024
Verb
Even without the stormy winds that buffeted Augusta on Saturday, its rolling course still proved notoriously challenging as, of the leaders, only Collin Morikawa carded a score under 70 – his 69 taking him to six under for the tournament and second place, a shot behind Scheffler.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Scheffler carded a double-bogey and fell down the leaderboard.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
Now cards this season featuring student-athletes, including 61 cards featuring basketball players.
—Doug Feinberg, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
The Northern Irishman had cut an exasperated figure following a double-bogey at the par-four 14th, but roared home with three consecutive birdies to card 69 – a score exactly in-between his brilliant opening 65 and error-strewn second round 73.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Can card issuers still raise interest rates and other charges?
—The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024
On that occasion, Ciampi carded Delgado for tripping Sergio Busquets although replays clearly showed Delgado never touched the Inter Miami player, who ran into a sliding Delgado and fell.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
The 28-year-old former star of the Southern California junior golf scene carded birdies on four consecutive holes in his back nine on the Nicklaus course.
—Greg Beacham, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Cardholders will be happier, as will card issuers be in a better state as a consequence of fewer calls from unhappy card members.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Noun
The report also details some of the more novel finds of 2023, including two live snakes, 19 Rolex watches, a jar full of shark teeth, and a Halloween card from the 1980s signed by president Richard Nixon.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Those successful at the ring toss game will get a card that offers an idea for an act of kindness.
—Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Both memberships include a card for a second household member.
—Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
The company also allowed people to buy crypto via credit cards; at times that was money an investor didn’t really have, but the hope was that a coin’s value would go up faster than the interest accrued on the card.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
This particular tablet comes with 32GB of internal storage with the option to expand for more through a microSD card slot.
—Stackcommerce Team, PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
Their Family + card, available to all families with three or more children, entitled them to 20 percent off many supplies around the city and was linked to the local Despar supermarket for additional discounts.
—Gaia Pianigiani, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
The card was used by staffers in the City Manager’s Office.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
Instead of fearing this feeling and running from it, use this month as a great opportunity to face your inner demons head-on as the Devil card arrives.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'card.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near card
Cite this Entry
“Card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/card. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
card
1 of 4 verb
: to clean and untangle fibers by combing with a card before spinning
carder
noun
card
2 of 4 noun
: an instrument usually having bent wire teeth for combing fibers (as wool or cotton)
card
3 of 4 noun1
2
plural
a
: a game played with cards
b
: card playing
3
: an amusing person : wag
4
: a flat stiff usually small and rectangular piece of paper, thin cardboard, or plastic: as
a
: postcard
b
: such a card on which computer information is stored
c
d
5
: a sports program
6
: a removable circuit board (as in a personal computer)
card
4 of 4 verb1
: to provide with a card
2
: to ask for identification
Etymology
Noun
Middle English carde "instrument for combing fibers," from Latin cardus, carduus "instrument for combing fibers, thistle," from earlier Latin carduus "thistle"
Noun
Middle English carde "playing card," from early French carte (same meaning), probably from early Italian carta, literally, "leaf of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to carton, cartoon, chart
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