These words are frequently used together and are related to the same industry. But how exactly do they differentiate from each other?
As nouns, the difference between the word “freight” and the word “cartage” relies upon the fact that “freight” refers to the payment cost of transportation. At the same time, cartage refers to the actual transportation of the goods by cart. If used as a verb, freight means to transport the goods.
Definition Of The Word “Freight”
“Freight” is the goods or the products that are transported. The word refers to the commercial transportation of goods by any means, either by air, land, or sea. Freight is usually the transportation of goods in bulk. It is often divided into freight shipments and air freight.
Airfreight is usually transported faster than freight shipments. Usually, the company with ownership of the goods is the one that handles freight. It can also be handled by a third party, referred to as a freight forwarder.
Before being transported, freight shipments are further divided into several categories. It will depend on the shipment size, the type of items being transported, and how long the goods will be in transit. Some usual categories are express, household goods, parcel, and freight shipments.
Pronunciation
[ Freyt ]
Additional Definitions Of “Freight”
Noun
- Transportation payment.
Example: The freight charges were more expensive for cars than for coal.
- Items or goods in transport.
Example: The freight switched, and the trailer turned over on the highway.
- Transport of goods.
Example: The company shipped its standard freight to spare the expense.
- Emotional or cultural associations.
Example: A wedding ring might be small, but it has massive emotional freight.
- Cargo, goods, or lading transported for payment, whether by land, water, or air.
- The standard conveyance or means of transport of goods provided by common carriers (differentiated from express).
Example: Shipping costs by freight are less expensive.
- A train used or designed for such transportation.
Example: That is a westbound freight.
- The fee, charges, or compensation paid for the transportation.
Example: They pay the freight.
- (In Britain) the actual cargo, or any part of the cargo, of a vessel; the merchandise transported by water.
- Freight train (Slang): cost or price, especially when high.
Example: I’d love to buy a larger house, but can’t afford the freight.
Verb
- To transport (goods).
- To load with freight. (figurative)
Verb (When Used With Object)
- To load with merchandise or goods for transportation.
Example: It took all day to freight the ship.
- To send by freight; transport as freight.
- The payment made for the transportation of goods
- Cost
Example: They will help pay the freight.
- Goods to be shipped; cargo
Example: The freight arrived by steamboat.
- Burden, load
Example: The man staggered under a freight of big logs in a basket.
Example: A story strongly freighted with personal meaning.
- Significance, meaning
Example: Those words that have psychological freight, such as “work,” “family,” and “sex.”
Freight: As A Transitive Verb
- To load with goods for transportation
- Charge, burden
Example: She is freighted with her memories.
- To ship or transport by freight.
Origin Of The Word “Freight”
The history and etymology of the word freight have many origins. Here are some based on the century cited by the sources.
| Year | Origin Language | Origin Word |
| 1350–1400 | Middle English | Fryght (noun) |
| Middle Dutch | Vrecht, variant of vracht | |
| Middle Low German | ||
| 1500 | English | Freigh (noun and verb) |
| 1600 | Middle Dutch | Vrecht |
| French | Fret | |
| Spanish | Flete | |
| Portuguese | Frete |
Synonyms, Antonyms, And Related Words
Synonyms: Noun
- Luggage
- Cargo
- Charge
- Haulage
- Freightage
- Weight
- Payload
- Loading
- Load
- Lading
- Haul
- Draft
- Cargo
- Burden
Synonyms: Verb
- Weight
- Saddle
- Lumber
- Load
- Laden
- Lade
- Encumber
- Burden
Let’s review this chart for some specific meanings for the word freight, including their respective synonyms, antonyms, and related words.
| Term | Grammatical Category | Meaning | Example | Synonyms | Antonym | Related Words |
| Freight | Noun | A quantity or mass of something taken up and conveyed, carried or transported. | Shipped a large freight of steel to the manufacturer. | Weight
Saddle Lumber Load Laden Lade Encumber Burden |
Unload
Unlade Unburden Disencumber Discharge Disburden |
Consignment
Wagonload Truckload Trainload Shipload Carload Boatload Bundle Bale Surcharge Overload Deadweight Ballast Mass Bulk Body Manifest Shipment Parcel Pack Packet Package |
| The amount of money demanded as payment for something | It’s all very well to suggest increased government services, but who will pay the freight for them? | Charge
Ante Cost Fee Figure Damage Price Price tag |
Value,
Valuation, Market value, Fair market value, List price, Asking price, Sticker price, Price point, Unit price, Tariff, Rate, Service charge (also service fee), Overcharge, Carrying charge, Surcharge deduction, Discount, Markdown, Reduction, Tab, Invoice, Check, Bill, Account, Down payment, Deposit, Sale |
|||
| Freight | Verb | To place a weight or burden on | Weight
Saddle Lumber Load Laden Lade Encumber Burden |
Unload
Unlade Unburden Disencumber Discharge Disburden Near Antonyms Relieve Alleviate Lighten Ease |
Clog
Fill Clutter Heap Pack Pile Mound Tax Strain Weigh Press Stack Surcharge Overtax Overload Overburden Oppress Afflict Handicap Hamper |
Freight: Synonym Study
- Freight, shipment, cargo refer to the goods transported from one place to another.
- Freight is the general word for goods transported from one place to another by any means.
Example: They will send freight from New Orleans to New York.
- Cargo is the word generally used for goods carried by ship or plane.
Example: The company is ready to send cargo to Europe.
- Shipment is the number of goods destined for a particular place, no matter how it is sent.
Example: We sent a shipment of potatoes.
Freight: Derived Terms (From The Noun)
- Freights
- Pay The Freight
- Freighter
- Freight Car
- Freight Yard
- Unfreighted
- Freightless
- Freighted;
- Freighting;
Derived Terms (From The Verb)
- Fraught
- Overfreight
Freight: Nearby Words
- Freight
- Freighter
- Freightage
- Freight Engine
- Freight Car
- Freight Agent
Freight: Related Words
- Fardel
- Pack
- Contents
- Burden
- Ballast
- Conveyance
- Haul
- Bulk
- Wares
- Weight
- Encumbrance
- Lading
- Load
- Merchandise
- Payload
- Shipment
- Consignment
- Carriage
- Shipping
- Transportation
Freight: How To Use The Word In A Sentence
As A Noun
- The company trains that carry both passengers and freight.
- The freight arrived by boat.
- The order was shipped last night by freight.
Verb
- It took the company six hours to freight the cargo airplane.
Definition Of The Word “Cartage”
Pronunciation
[ Kahr-tij ]
Noun
- The transport of goods by cart; carting.
- A charge made for such transport.
- The act or cost of carting.
- The action of or the rate charged for carting.
Other Word Usage Posts
Origin Of The Word “Cartage”
In Middle English, the word dates back to 1275–1325, combining the words cart and -age.
Other sources stated that the first known use of the word cartage dates back to the 15th century.
Synonyms, Antonyms, And Related Words
Cartage: Related Words
- Rush Hour
- Parking Lot
- Truckage
- Vehicles
- Passage
- Passengers
- Flux Jam
- Movement
- Transport
- Transit
- Freight
- Gridlock
- Influx
- Travel
- Service
- Shipment
- Transportation
Cartage: How To Use It In Sentences
- The smaller paths, not intended for cartage, should be 4 ft.
- The shipping includes the label fee and cartage charge.
- Seller shall pay all shipping, packing, crating, and cartage charges unless otherwise specified in this order.
- Additional charges for boxing, packing, cartage, or other extras will be allowed.
- None of these numbers takes account of local cartage.
- The villagers earn a lot of money from hay and cartage services.
- The goal was to find a second life for older trailers in the storage and cartage market.
- After working for a cartage company for two years, he founded his own cartage business and got married.
- There are practically no cartage costs.
The Main Difference Between “Freight” And “Cartage”
The main difference between Freight and Cartage is that freight is goods or produce transported, and cartage is the transporting of goods or materials by road or rail.
Conclusion
In summary, we have seen the main differences between freight and cartage and how to use them in different scenarios.
We use freight to refer to the cost of transportation. And cartage refers to the transportation itself of the goods via cart.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.