carrot

[ kar-uht ]

noun

1. a plant, Daucus carota, of the parsley family, having pinnately decompound leaves and umbels of small white or yellow flowers, in its wild form a widespread, familiar weed, and in cultivation valued for its edible root.
2. the nutritious, orange to yellow root of this plant, eaten raw or cooked.
3. something hoped for or promised as a lure or incentive: Compare stick ¹( def 8 ).

   To boost productivity, leaders hinted at the carrot of subsidized housing for the workers.

verb (used with object)

1. to treat (furs) with mercuric nitrate preparatory to felting.

carrot

/ ˈkærət /

noun

1. an umbelliferous plant, Daucus carota sativa, with finely divided leaves and flat clusters of small white flowers See also wild carrot
2. the long tapering orange root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable
3. 1. something offered as a lure or incentive
   2. reward and punishment as methods of persuasion

Word History and Origins

Origin of carrot¹

1525–35; < Middle French carotte < Late Latin carōta < Greek karōtón, derivative of kárē head, with suffix as in kephalōtón onion, derivative of kephalḗ head

Word History and Origins

Origin of carrot¹

C16: from Old French carotte, from Late Latin carōta, from Greek karōton; perhaps related to Greek karē head

Example Sentences

Filling ingredients can vary as long as they are sturdy enough to withstand boiling or frying, so a vegetarian option could include a napa cabbage mixture with carrots and shiitake mushrooms, or even chopped clear vermicelli noodles.

From Washington Post

For instance, Sebastian, or “Seb” for short, is a fan of belly rubs and carrot sticks.

From Washington Post

Yet China has won influence not by wielding sticks but by deftly distributing carrots.

From Time

A great way to begin homemade soup is with mirepoix — a mixture of chopped onion, celery and carrots usually, although other root veggies can go in as well.

From Washington Post

The promise of comprehensive federal privacy law has been dangled like a carrot before consumer watchdogs and privacy advocates for at least a decade.

From Digiday

Assad has been offered safe passage to a third country as a carrot for handing over power.

From The Daily Beast

His friends were safely known by the Polish versions of Toothy, Hoppy, Conky, Baldy, Whitey, Carrot Top and Chopper.

From The Daily Beast

Allergies—Mix one part cucumber juice with one part beet root juice and three parts carrot juice.

From The Daily Beast

Its apple-carrot muffin is a moist and comforting treat that tastes like your grandmother baked it especially for you.

From The Daily Beast

I had never craved a carrot before, or fantasized about raiding an apple tree in a nearby garden.

From The Daily Beast

"I have time before dark to make Benny's cart," observed Henry, biting a crisp, sweet carrot.

From Project Gutenberg

Put it into a stewpan with an onion, a carrot, a piece of celery; cover with water and boil slowly for fifty minutes.

From Project Gutenberg

But while they stopped and waited for him to proceed, Bumper chewed away at his carrot until it was all gone.

From Project Gutenberg

Who'd have thought Sam Lacey's carrot-top could be made over into that?

From Project Gutenberg

Marjorie had a horse made of a carrot, which looked like a very frisky steed, indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accolade
• advantage
• bonus
• bounty
• championship
• citation
• crown
• dividend
• gold
• honor
• inducement
• jackpot
• medal
• payoff
• purse
• reward
• scholarship
• title
• trophy
• windfall