karat

noun

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

Examples of karat in a Sentence

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.
An arrest warrant said Marks sold a woman’s wedding ring with a half-karat diamond at a pawn shop for $300. Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026 It was set in 257 grams of 18-karat rose gold, and took more than 300 hours to create by hand, for a cool price tag of $1 million. Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026 This particular one is crafted in 14-karat gold rather than the standard 18-karat, meaning it was likely made for an American client. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 May 2026 The style is made of 18-karat white and yellow gold and adorned with 34 diamonds on the bezel, 178 on the bracelet, and 12 more placed on the hour markers. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for karat

Word History

Etymology

Middle English carrat — more at carat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Karat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karat. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

karat

noun
kar·​at
variants or carat
ˈkar-ət
: a unit of fineness for gold equal to ¹⁄₂₄ part of pure gold in a blend with one or more other metals

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