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

This particular one is crafted in 14-karat gold rather than the standard 18-karat, meaning it was likely made for an American client. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 May 2026

The style is made of 18-karat white and yellow gold and adorned with 34 diamonds on the bezel, 178 on the bracelet, and 12 more placed on the hour markers. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 4 May 2026

In August, with the threat of steep tariffs looming, Cook gave Trump a plaque with a 24-karat gold bar as a base, when the pair announced Apple planned to invest $100 billion in domestic manufacturing. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026

At a ceremony announcing the commitment in August, Cook gifted Trump a customized glass plaque mounted on a 24-karat gold stand. —Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 21 Apr. 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