carat

Q: What is the difference between a 'carat' and a 'karat'?

These two words are tricky , as one of them may refer both to the measurement of a precious stone's weight and to the purity of gold, while the other only refers to the purity of gold. Carat may be used for both, but karat is only employed in reference to gold.

Q: How much is a carat?

If carat is serving as a variant spelling of karat , then it is measuring the fineness, rather than the weight, of gold; each carat is equal to 1/24 part of pure gold. If carat is being used in reference to precious stones, it is a unit of weight equal to 200 milligrams.

1 of 2

noun (1)

car·at

variant spelling of karat

: a unit of fineness for gold equal to ¹/₂₄ part of pure gold in an alloy

carat

2 of 2

noun (2)

car·at ˈker-ət

ˈka-rət

: a unit of weight for precious stones equal to 200 milligrams

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a carat and a karat?

These two words are tricky, as one of them may refer both to the measurement of a precious stone's weight and to the purity of gold, while the other only refers to the purity of gold. Carat may be used for both, but karat is only employed in reference to gold.

What is weighed in carats?

Precious stones are weighed in carats; a single carat is equal to 200 milligrams. Carat is also a variant spelling of karat, which measures the purity (but not the weight) of gold.

How much is a carat?

If carat is serving as a variant spelling of karat, then it is measuring the fineness, rather than the weight, of gold; each carat is equal to 1/24 part of pure gold. If carat is being used in reference to precious stones, it is a unit of weight equal to 200 milligrams.

Examples of carat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest gem is measured in square feet rather than carats, with the opening of a second campus of L’École, School for Jewelry Art in Paris. —

Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 June 2024 At Bonhams, Tonkin said prices for top-quality Paraiba tourmalines reached $75,000 per carat in 2022, compared with $4,800 per carat in 2009. —

Sarah Royce-Greensill, CNN, 11 June 2024 Kidman paired the dress with 84 carats of Harry Winston diamonds set in platinum. —

Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024 The stunning stone, known as the Du Pont Sapphire, was transformed into a ring surrounded by nearly 4 carats of diamonds. —

Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for carat

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English carrat measure of fineness in gold, from Middle French carat measure of fineness in gold or of weight in gems, from Italian carato, from Arabic qīrāṭ bean pod, a small weight, from Greek keration carob bean, a small weight, from diminutive of kerat-, keras horn — more at horn

First Known Use

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of carat was in 1555

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Carat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carat. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

carat

1 of 2

variant of karat

carat

2 of 2 noun

car·at ˈkar-ət

: a unit of weight for precious gems (as diamonds) equal to 200 milligrams

Last Updated: 23 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

deference

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

carat

noun (1)

noun (2)

Frequently Asked Questions

Examples of carat in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near carat

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition