carrot

[ kar-uht ]

/ ˈkær ət /

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noun

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.

the nutritious, orange to yellow root of this plant, eaten raw or cooked.

something hoped for or promised as a lure or incentive: To boost productivity, leaders hinted at the carrot of subsidized housing for the workers.Compare stick¹ (def. 8).

verb (used with object)

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

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of carrot

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carrot

carat, caret, carrot , karat

Words nearby carrot

Carroll, Lewis, Carrollton, carromata, carronade, carron oil, carrot, carrot and stick, carrot fly, carrot-top, carroty, carrousel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use carrot in a sentence

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.
Homemade dumplings bring me closer to family this Lunar New Year, even from far away|Marian Liu|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
For instance, Sebastian, or “Seb” for short, is a fan of belly rubs and carrot sticks.
The latest thing on Zoom meetings: A live goat|Sydney Page|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
Yet China has won influence not by wielding sticks but by deftly distributing carrots.
The U.S. and China Are Battling for Influence in Latin America, and the Pandemic Has Raised the Stakes|Charlie Campell/Beijing|February 4, 2021|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.
Hints From Heloise: Before buying a diamond, learn about the four C’s|Heloise Heloise|February 4, 2021|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.
Cheat sheet: What to expect in state and federal privacy regulation in 2021|Kate Kaye|February 1, 2021|Digiday
Assad has been offered safe passage to a third country as a carrot for handing over power.
U.S.: Assad’s ‘Machinery of Death’ Worst Since the Nazis|Josh Rogin|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His friends were safely known by the Polish versions of Toothy, Hoppy, Conky, Baldy, Whitey, Carrot Top and Chopper.
The Week in Death: Irving Milchberg, the Teenage Gunrunner of the Warsaw Ghetto|The Telegraph|March 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allergies—Mix one part cucumber juice with one part beet root juice and three parts carrot juice.
Use These 15 Home Remedies Based On Ayurveda To Cure Menstrual Cramps, Hangovers, and Indigestion|Ari Meisel|January 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its apple-carrot muffin is a moist and comforting treat that tastes like your grandmother baked it especially for you.
The Sweet Side of New York City|Emily Chang|December 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I had never craved a carrot before, or fantasized about raiding an apple tree in a nearby garden.
My Week At An Austrian Fat Camp|Owen Matthews|October 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"I have time before dark to make Benny's cart," observed Henry, biting a crisp, sweet carrot.
The Box-Car Children|Gertrude Chandler Warner
Put it into a stewpan with an onion, a carrot, a piece of celery; cover with water and boil slowly for fifty minutes.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode|Harriet A. de Salis
But while they stopped and waited for him to proceed, Bumper chewed away at his carrot until it was all gone.
Bumper, The White Rabbit|George Ethelbert Walsh
Who'd have thought Sam Lacey's carrot-top could be made over into that?
The Opened Shutters|Clara Louise Burnham
Marjorie had a horse made of a carrot, which looked like a very frisky steed, indeed.
Marjorie's Busy Days|Carolyn Wells

British Dictionary definitions for carrot

carrot

/ (ˈkærət) /

noun

an umbelliferous plant, Daucus carota sativa, with finely divided leaves and flat clusters of small white flowersSee also wild carrot

the long tapering orange root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

something offered as a lure or incentive
carrot and stick reward and punishment as methods of persuasion

Word Origin for carrot

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

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

carrot

Origin of carrot

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carrot

Words nearby carrot

Words related to carrot

How to use carrot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for carrot

Word Origin for carrot