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

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

The hour and minute hands, as well as the counter hour markers, are crafted in 18-karat white gold, accented by blue Super-LumiNova. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 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

Lipa, who tied the knot with Callum Turner in May, also wore her 18-karat gold wedding ring. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 20 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