carrot

noun

car·​rot ˈker-ət 

ˈka-rət

1

: a biennial herb (Daucus carota of the family Apiaceae synonym Umbelliferae, the carrot family) with a usually orange spindle-shaped edible root

also : its root

2

: a reward or advantage offered especially as an inducement

The company offered a carrot in the form of additional vacation time to workers who met their deadlines.

Examples of carrot in a Sentence

She chopped some carrots for the soup.

He added some grated carrot to the soup.

The company offered a carrot in the form of additional vacation time to workers who met their deadlines.

Recent Examples on the Web

Consider trying whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice; legumes like lentils, beans, and chickpeas; nuts; seeds; fruits like apples, bananas, and berries; and vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and leafy greens. —Beth Krietsch, SELF, 7 Apr. 2025

Varying sizes of carrots were used so the floral arrangement looked full without cutting stems or purchasing floral foam. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025

No one food can completely resolve or eliminate period pain or cramps, but raw carrots can help support your body’s natural detox process, Thomason says. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025

This version, adapted from cookbook author and YouTube star Maangchi, features thin strips of beef in a quick soy-sugar marinade alongside a classic supporting cast of savory ingredients: carrot, spinach, egg and yellow pickled radish. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French carotte, from Late Latin carota, from Greek karōton

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing carrot

• carrot-and-stick
• carrot cake
• wild carrot

Rhymes for carrot

• barret

Kids Definition

carrot

noun

car·​rot ˈkar-ət 

: the long orange edible root of a common garden plant that is eaten as a vegetable

also : a plant that produces a carrot

Medical Definition

carrot

noun

car·​rot ˈkar-ət 

: a biennial plant of the genus Daucus (D. carota) that bears seeds which have been used especially as a diuretic and stimulant and that in cultivated varieties has a yellow or orange-red tapering root which is used as a vegetable

also : its root