carte blanche

noun

ˈkärt-ˈblänch  -ˈbläⁿsh 

plural cartes blanches ˈkärt(s)-ˈblänch  -ˈbläⁿsh 

: full discretionary (see discretion sense 1a) power

was given carte blanche to furnish the house

Did you know?

Carte blanche is much like a blank check. In French, carte means "document" and blanche means "blank," so the phrase means "blank document." English retained that literal meaning: a carte blanche was a blank document signed in advance by one party and given to the other with permission to fill in conditions later. Much like blank check, carte blanche also took on the extended meaning "complete freedom."

Examples of carte blanche in a Sentence

We gave the decorator carte blanche to furnish the house.

Recent Examples on the Web

But here was an opportunity to basically have carte blanche. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024

This statement intends to communicate that the Arab signatories to the Abraham Accords have not given Israel carte blanche, especially when Israel’s actions increase threats to their own security. —Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2023

The weight-doesn’t-matter mantra lets manufacturers off the hook, giving them carte blanche to keep cranking out burdensome behemoths. —Dario Digiulio, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024

While this doesn’t necessarily give carte blanche, executives view these restraints as a license to get creative. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, blank document

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

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