karat

noun

kar·​at ˈker-ət How to pronounce karat (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The house also included 14-karat gold cutlery and sterling silver. — Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026 When the first Apple Watch launched, the company offered the 18-karat gold Edition starting at $10,000. — Mackenzie Sigalos,kif Leswing, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Referencing the starry design of the dress, Dion wore a new comète necklace made of platinum, 18-karat white gold, and 1,080 diamonds that totaled more than 67 carats. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026 White walls and broad windows keep the mountains and ocean in view, while a blue door opens onto an entryway capped by a 24-karat gold-leaf dome. — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for karat

Word History

Etymology

Middle English carrat — more at carat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of karat was in the 15th century

Rhymes for karat

See All Rhymes for karat

Browse Nearby Words

Kara Su
karat
karatas
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Karat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karat. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on karat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about karat

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