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

The deal includes a 16-pound turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberries, dinner rolls, peas, carrots, celery, whipping cream and pumpkin pie ingredients. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026

Remove the carrots from the oven and add them to the pot with the coconut milk. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

In the eyes of the conferences, and CFP committee, the allure of a postseason bid is the carrot that would dangle in front of them so that fans would look the other way at the nonsense this creates for the football played in September or October. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Combine 1 large red or yellow onion, finely chopped, 3 celery stalks, finely chopped, 1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped, 1 tsp. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 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