carrot

noun

car·​rot ˈker-ət How to pronounce carrot (audio)
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
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.
Infused with super-nourishing antioxidant ingredients - green tea + carrot extract, avocado oil, and vitamin E, to keep the skin replenished and hydrated. Dave Knox, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 Save onion skins, carrot peels, celery ends, excess herbs as well as bones from chicken, beef, pork or fish to make homemade stock. Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 27 June 2025 On Wednesday morning, the designer brought together an intimate group for carrot juice, Champagne and yogurt bowls for a talk with Gruman and Sarah Harris, editorial director of 72 Magazine. Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 26 June 2025 Garden-fresh veggies like carrots, snap peas, and peppers round out this one-pan meal. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for carrot

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carrot was in 1533

Cite this Entry

“Carrot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carrot. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

carrot

noun
car·​rot ˈkar-ət How to pronounce carrot (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce carrot (audio)
: 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

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