definitions

carat

[ kar-uh t ]
/ ˈkær ət /
|

noun

a unit of weight in gemstones, 200 milligrams (about 3 grains of troy or avoirdupois weight). Abbreviation: c., ct.
karat.

RELATED WORDS

natural, positive, honest, certain, legitimate, pure, palpable, absolute, A1, ace, capital, choice, choicest, excellent, flawless, greatest, highest, ideal, matchless, maximum

Nearby words

caramelize, carangid, carangoid, carapa, carapace, carat, caratacus, caratinga, caravaggio, caravan, caravanner

Origin of carat

1545–55; < Medieval Latin carratus (used by alchemists) < Arabic qīrāṭ weight of 4 grains < Greek kerátion carob bean, weight of 3.333 grains, literally, little horn, equivalent to kerat- (stem of kéras) horn + -ion diminutive suffix

Can be confused

carat caret carrot karat

Definition for carat (2 of 2)

karat

or car·at

[ kar-uh t ]
/ ˈkær ət /

noun

a unit for measuring the fineness of gold, pure gold being 24 karats fine. Abbreviation: k., kt.

Origin of karat

First recorded in 1550–60; spelling variant of carat

Can be confused

carat caret carrot karat
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for carat

British Dictionary definitions for carat (1 of 2)

carat

/ (ˈkærət) /

noun

a measure of the weight of precious stones, esp diamonds. It was formerly defined as 3.17 grains, but the international carat is now standardized as 0.20 grams
Usual US spelling: karat a measure of the proportion of gold in an alloy, expressed as the number of parts of gold in 24 parts of the alloy

Word Origin for carat

C16: from Old French, from Medieval Latin carratus, from Arabic qīrāt weight of four grains, carat, from Greek keration a little horn, from keras horn

British Dictionary definitions for carat (2 of 2)

karat

/ (ˈkærət) /

noun

US and Canadian a measure of the proportion of gold in an alloy, expressed as the number of parts of gold in 24 parts of the alloyAlso spelt (in Britain and certain other countries): carat

Word Origin for karat

C16: from Old French, from Medieval Latin carratus, from Arabic qīrāt weight of four grains, carat, from Greek keration a little horn, from keras horn
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012