carte blanche

UK: /ˌkɑː^rtˈblɑːnʃ/

US: /ˈkɑrt ˈblɑntʃ, ˈblãʃ/

US: (kärt′ blanch′, blänch′; Fr. kart blänsh′)

Inflections of 'carte blanche' (n): npl: cartes blanches

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

carte blanche /ˈkɑrt ˈblɑntʃ, ˈblãʃ/   n. [uncountable]

1. Foreign Terms full freedom or power to act:
   gave his chief of staff carte blanche to fire anyone he chose.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

carte blanche  (kärt′ blanch′, blänch′; Fr. kart blänsh′), pl. cartes blanches 

(kärts′ blanch′, blänch′; Fr. kart blänsh′). 
1. Foreign Terms unconditional authority;
   full discretionary power.
2. Foreign Terms a sheet of paper that is blank except for a signature and given by the signer to another person to write in what he or she pleases.
3. Games [Cards.] a hand having no face card but with a special scoring value, as in piquet.

• French: literally, blank document; see carte, blank
• 1645–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

carte blanche / ˈkɑːt ˈblɑːntʃ kart blɑ̃ʃ/ noun ( cartes blanches / ˈkɑːts ˈblɑːntʃ kart blɑ̃ʃ/)

1. complete discretion or authority: the government gave their negotiator carte blanche

Etymology: 18th Century: from French: blank paper