# Charlotte

/ˈʃɑɹɫət/ (US) · /ʃˈɑːlət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/charlotte
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR A1

a popular name for a girl or woman.

For teachers: a female given name of French origin, the feminine form of Charles.

- Charlotte was named after her grandmother, who was born in Paris.
- The name Charlotte has seen a significant resurgence in popularity across English-speaking countries over the last decade.

### 2. a city

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

a large city in the U.S. state of North Carolina.

For teachers: the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, known as a major financial hub.

- Many large banks have their main offices in Charlotte.
- As a primary financial centre, Charlotte attracts thousands of young professionals to the Southeast every year.

### 3. a dessert

noun · CEFR B2

a cold dessert made by lining a mould with bread or sponge cake and filling it with fruit or cream.

For teachers: a dessert consisting of a filling such as fruit compote, cream, or custard enclosed in a crust of bread, sponge cake, or biscuits.

- She prepared a beautiful apple charlotte for the Sunday dinner.
- The chef demonstrated how to line the mould with ladyfingers to create a classic strawberry charlotte russe.

### 4. a historical hat

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a type of hat that women wore a long time ago.

For teachers: a style of woman's bonnet or cap that was fashionable during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

- The lady in the old painting wore a silk charlotte tied under her chin.
- Historical costume dramas often require precise recreations of the charlotte to maintain the authenticity of the Regency era.

## Examples

- Charlotte is the name of my youngest sister.
- The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a major financial hub in the southeastern United States.
- While Charlotte remains a classic choice for a child's name, the culinary version of the term refers to a sophisticated dessert lined with sponge fingers and filled with fruit puree or custard.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.