carat

1 of 3

noun (1)

car·​at

variant spelling of

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

carat

2 of 3

noun (2)

car·​at ˈker-ət How to pronounce carat (audio)
ˈka-rət
: a unit of weight for precious stones equal to 200 milligrams

karat

3 of 3

noun (3)

kar·​at ˈker-ət How to pronounce karat (audio)
ˈka-rət
variants or carat
: a unit of fineness for gold equal to 1/24 part of pure gold in an alloy

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

Noun (3) She was wearing an 18 karat gold bracelet. Pure gold is 24 karats.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Two men bought tickets to enter Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) before smashing a display case, grabbing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace and walking away, police said Friday. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 On August 27, two men paid for admission to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna, before stealing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
The necklace took 1,800 hours of craftsmanship and features five diamond cuts—triangle, oval, round, baguette, and emerald—amid a technically challenging setting that blends 18-karat white gold and rose gold. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2026 Her engagement ring featured a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in 18-karat white gold. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carat

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

Noun (3)

Middle English carrat — more at carat

First Known Use

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carat was in the 15th century

Rhymes for carat

See All Rhymes for carat

Browse Nearby Words

cara sposa
carat
Caratacus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carat. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

carat

1 of 2

variant of karat

carat

2 of 2 noun
car·​at ˈkar-ət How to pronounce carat (audio)
: a unit of weight for precious gems (as diamonds) equal to 200 milligrams

More from Merriam-Webster on carat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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