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

On the larger side, there is a branzino entree with cauliflower puree and rainbow carrots, lamb chops with pistachio chimichurri and marinated beef tenderloin with eggplant and sun-dried tomato. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026

Sales were also down on other vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, spinach and Brussels sprouts. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Ngo turned it on its head and made it into a sandwich, the bo kho dip ($16) with soft, fragrant meat, chiles, carrot and onion and served with a cup of the broth to dip. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

Whether by carrot or stick — and there’s still no definitive reporting on which — the animosity between Iran and the UAE has been easing. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 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