A cartouche is a hieroglyphic symbol that was given to the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. It is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the feature did not come into common use until the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu. The ancient Egyptian word for cartouche was shenu, and the cartouche was essentially an expanded shen ring.

Cartouches were formerly only worn by pharaohs, and the oval surrounding their name was meant to protect them from evil spirits in life and after death. At times, amulets took the form of a cartouche displaying the name of a king and placed in tombs. Archaeologists often find such items important for dating a tomb and its contents.

In modern times, the term "cartouche" has been used to describe other things as well. For example, in cooking, a cartouche is a parchment-paper lid that allows for some evaporation during braising while keeping the food submerged. In firearms, a cartouche is a gun cartridge with a paper case. In art and design, a cartouche can refer to an ornate or ornamental frame.