carat
noun/ˈkærət/
/ˈkærət/
(abbreviation ct)
- a unit for measuring the weight of diamonds and other precious stones, equal to 200 milligrams
- (especially British English) (North American English usually karat)a unit for measuring how pure gold is. The purest gold is 24 carats.
- an 18-carat gold ring
Word Originlate Middle English (in sense (2)): from French, from Italian carato, from Arabic qīrāṭ (a unit of weight), from Greek keration ‘fruit of the carob tree’ (also denoting a unit of weight), diminutive of keras ‘horn’, with reference to the elongated seed pod of the carob.
Check pronunciation:
carat