carat

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

With its diamonds weighing approximately 5.25 carats, the cross measures 5.4 inches by 3.7 inches and was made by Garrard, the British court jewelers, in the early 20th century. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024

This category offers engagement rings up to five carats, which Wang said she’s rarely done in past Zales’ collections. —Layla Ilchi, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024

The full sequin look was paired with Tiffany & Co. jewels, including a platinum necklace set with 160 carats of aquamarines, 49 carats of blue zircons, and nearly two carats of diamonds. —Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2024

Dug out of the ground more than 7,000 miles away, in the southern African country of Botswana, the rock weighs more than 1,000 carats, or about seven ounces. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024

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

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