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 yellow circle contained a well of sugar water and a piece of carrot, while the purple one did not; Skeels was trying to train the crickets to associate color with a reward. —Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025

In a medium pot, add water, kombu, shiitake, onion, potato, sweet potato, carrots and goji. —Michiko Tomioka, Contributor, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2025

Perfect for cozy winter meals, cinnamon enhances the natural sweetness of ingredients like squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots, while complementing robust flavors like tomato, cumin, and garlic. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025

Some varieties of instant ramen also come with dehydrated vegetables such as peas, carrots and corn - and some people also add their own toppings to instant ramen at home. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2025

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

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) 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