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

One frozen bag of cooked carrots was thawing on the prep counter. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado may 8, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026

Add the carrots and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

Friday, May 8, Mother’s Day Lunch, Chicken Cordon Bleu, mashed potatoes, carrots, applesauce, whole grain roll, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

Now that officer Kyle McLaughlin got a bump in his title (detective specialist) and salary, what will Kelly the horse get in his accommodations besides an apple and a carrot or two? —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026

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 of the family Apiaceae synonym Umbelliferae, the carrot family) 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