noun
carat
KA-ruht
Carat (noun) means a unit of mass used to weigh gemstones, equal to exactly 200 milligrams. Example: “The engagement ring featured a two-carat diamond.”
noun
1
A unit of mass used to weigh gemstones, equal to exactly 200 milligrams.
"The engagement ring featured a two-carat diamond."
2
A scale of 24 parts used to measure the purity of gold.
"The necklace was made from 18-carat gold."
"18-carat gold is 75% gold by mass. 24-carat gold is pure."
How to use carat
Learner’s notes
Common mistake
Don't confuse "carat" (weight of a gemstone or gold purity) with "karat," the American spelling used specifically for gold purity, or "carrot," the vegetable.
Easily confused with
karat
carrot →
Common pairings
a one-carat diamond
24-carat gold
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Word forms
- Plural
- carats
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The engagement ring featured a two-_____ diamond.
Etymology
From Arabic qirat, "small unit of weight," ultimately from Greek keration, "little horn" or "carob seed" — carob seeds were once used as a natural, fairly consistent weight for measuring gems.
Synonyms
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kt
karat
Rhymes for carat
See all rhymes for carat →Frequently asked questions
What does “carat” mean?
The word “carat” means a unit of mass used to weigh gemstones, equal to exactly 200 milligrams.
How do you pronounce “carat”?
“Carat” is pronounced KA-ruht (/ˈkæ.ɹət/ in IPA).
How do you use “carat” in a sentence?
Here is “carat” used in a sentence: “The engagement ring featured a two-carat diamond.”
What part of speech is “carat”?
“Carat” is a noun.
Where does the word “carat” come from?
The word “carat” comes from Arabic. From Arabic qirat, "small unit of weight," ultimately from Greek keration, "little horn" or "carob seed" — carob seeds were once used as a natural, fairly consistent weight for measuring gems.
How many meanings does “carat” have?
“Carat” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a unit of mass used to weigh gemstones, equal to exactly 200 milligrams.
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