karte

Karte is a German noun with several related meanings, and it is used in a variety of everyday and technical contexts. The most common sense is a geographic representation: a map or chart used for navigation or planning, for example eine Weltkarte or eine Straßenkarte. It can also denote a flat piece of material with a specific function, such as playing cards (Karten), a business card, or a payment or access card (Kreditkarte, Schlüsselkarte).

In addition to maps and cards, Karte refers to lists or menus. A restaurant menu is called eine Speisekarte, and an entry into an event is often purchased with eine Eintrittskarte. In computing and electronics, Karte appears in several compound terms for devices or storage that are card-like, such as Soundkarte, Grafikkarte, and Speicherkarte (memory card).

Etymology and usage notes: Karte derives from Latin carta “paper, sheet” via Old French carte, reflecting its original sense related to a sheet or document. Over time the term broadened to include maps, cards, and other sheet-like objects. The noun is feminine (die Karte) with plural die Karten, and its meaning is usually clear from the context or from the surrounding compounds.

Karte is widely used in German-speaking areas and appears in many fixed expressions and compound nouns. Its flexibility allows it to describe both physical objects and abstract representations, from navigational aids to payment methods to menu lists.