cartouche
noun /kɑːˈtuːʃ/
/kɑːrˈtuːʃ/
- an oblong or oval shape which contains a set of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, often representing the name and title of a king or queenWord Originearly 17th cent.: from French cartouche (masculine noun), earlier cartoche, from Italian cartoccio, from carta, from Latin carta, charta, from Greek khartēs ‘papyrus leaf’.