[car.toon] n, often attrib [It cartone pasteboard, cartoon, aug. of carta leaf of paper--more at card] (1671) 1: a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)
2. a: a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor "a political ~" b: comic strip
3: animated cartoon
4: a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal or version "the film's villain is an entertaining ~" -- cartoon vb -- car.toon.ing n -- car.toon.ish adj -- car.toon.ish.ly adv -- car.toon.ist n -- car.toon.like adj -- car.toony adj