Lewis & Short

† charta, ae (chartus, i, m., Lucil. ap. Non. p. 196, 19). f., = ό χάρτης (cf. the letter A),

  1. I. a leaf of the Egyptian papyrus, paper, Plin. 13, 11, 21, § 68 sqq.; Lucr. 6, 112; 6, 114; Cic. Att. 5, 4, 4; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 113: dentata, smooth, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 14 (15), 1: emporitica inutilis scribendo involucris chartarum segestriumque mercibus usum praebet, Plin. 13, 12, 23, § 76: epistulares, Mart. 14, 11 in lemm.; Dig. 33, 9, 3, § 10: novae, ib. 37, 11, 4: purae, ib. 32, 1, 52, § 4: transversa, Suet. Caes. 56: vacuae, Mart. 14, 10, 2.
    1. B. Meton.
      1. 1. The papyrus plant itse’f, Plin. 13, 11, 21, § 68.
        Far more freq.,
      2. 2. That which is written upon paper, a writing, letter, poem, etc., Lucr. 3, 10; 4, 971; Cic. Cael. 17, 70; id. Att. 2, 20, 3; Cat. 1, 6; 68, 46; Hor. C. 4, 9, 31; id. S. 1, 10, 4; id. Ep. 2, 1, 35; 2, 1, 161; 2, 1, 270; id. A. P. 310: Arpinae, i.e. Ciceronis, Mart. 10, 19.
  2. II. Transf., a thin leaf, plate, lamina, tablet (cf. Lidd. and Scott, under χάρτης, 3.): plumbea, Suet. Ner. 20.

chartus, i, v. charta init.