Authoritative answer
Exact answer
Card came through Anglo-French and Middle French carte from Latin charta and Greek chartes, words connected with paper or a leaf of material.
Scope: Recorded English etymology and sense history; reviewed July 31, 2026.
Important boundary: Card has many later senses; this answer covers the word's recorded borrowing path.
Evidence
Quick answer
A short etymology card for card: origin, meaning history, memorable hook, and source-language context.
Source-first
Reviewed Jul 2026
Origin story
Through French carte from Latin charta and Greek chartes, words connected with paper or a leaf of material.
Why it sticks
A small object with a very long paper trail.
Shareable cardCard: A small object with a very long paper trail.