karat

noun

kar·​at ˈker-ət 

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

Isaia cashmere scarf, $750; Dior silk tie, $300; Ferragamo calfskin oxfords, $1,590; Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds in 18-karat pink gold, $27,000; Il Bisonte leather card case, $140; Stefano Ricci crocodile belt, $2,800. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026

Prices range from a $75 slim chain necklace to a $4,495 charm necklace in 14-karat solid gold. — David Moin, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Pan puri shots come with billowing smoke, and lamb chops are dusted in 24-karat gold. — Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026

However, the offer was consistent with the calculator on the brand's site — which predicts an offer based on the karat and weight of the piece in grams — so there were no surprises. — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English carrat — more at carat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for karat

• buret
• carat
• ferret
• garret
• merit
• parrot
• demerit
• inherit
• preterit
• disinherit

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