carta

Carta is a term used in several Romance languages with multiple related, but distinct, meanings. Etymologically it derives from Latin charta and is cognate with the English word chart, reflecting its historical association with written documents and maps. In Spanish, carta most commonly denotes a written letter or a restaurant menu; in navigational and cartographic contexts it can also mean a map or chart (for example, carta náutica). In Italian, carta means paper or a card and is used in a range of compound terms: carta geografica for a map, carta d'identità for an identity card, carta di credito for a credit card, and la carta for a restaurant menu (à la carta). Historically the phrase Magna Carta (Great Charter) shows carta used to designate a formal document.

As a surname, Carta appears in Italian and Spanish-speaking areas. The term also occurs in historical and geographic titles, such as Carta marina, a 16th-century map of the Baltic Sea by Olaus Magnus. Today, Carta can appear in proper nouns or as a generic term in discussions of documents, maps, or menus, depending on language and context.