Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Carat
Car′at
(kăr′ăt)
, Noun.
[F.
carat
(cf. It. carato
, OPg. quirate
, Pg. & Sp. quilate
), Ar. qīrāt
bean or pea shell, a weight of four grains, a carat, fr. Gr. κεράτιον
a little horn, the fruit of the carob tree, a weight, a carat. See Horn
.] 1.
The weight by which precious stones and pearls are weighed.
☞ The
carat
equals three and one fifth grains Troy, and is divided into four grains, sometimes called carat grains
. Diamonds and other precious stones are estimated by carats and fractions of carats, and pearls, usually, by carat grains. Tiffany.
2.
A twenty-fourth part; – a term used in estimating the proportionate fineness of gold.
☞ A mass of metal is said to be so many carats fine, according to the number of twenty-fourths of pure gold which it contains; as, 22
carats
fine (goldsmith’s standard) = 22 parts of gold, 1 of copper, and 1 of silver. Webster 1828 Edition
Carat
CARAT
,Noun.
1.
The weight of four grains, used by gold-smiths and jewelers in weighing precious stones and pearls.2.
The weight that expresses the fineness of gold. The whole mass of gold is divided into 24 equal parts, and as many 24th parts as it contains of pure gold, it is called gold of so many carats. Thus gold of twenty-two parts of pure metal, is gold of twenty-two carats. The carat in Great Britain is divided into four grains; among the Germans into twelve parts; and among the French into thirty-two.3.
The value of any thing.Definition 2024
carat
carat
See also: carât
English
Alternative forms
- (unit of purity): karat (North America)
Noun
carat (plural carats)
- A unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, equivalent to 200 milligrams.
- Formerly, any of several units of weight, varying from 189 to 212 mg, the weight of a carob seed.
- A measure of the purity of gold, pure gold being 24 carats.
Translations
weight
measure of the purity of gold
Middle French
Etymology
First known attestation in 1360 in the plural as quarais. Attested in the singular as quaret at least as early as 1433. Spellings with an initial c- first attested 1367[1].
Noun
carat m (plural caras or caraz)
- carat (measure of purity of gold)
References
- ↑ (fr) Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (carat, supplement)
Middle Irish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkarad/
Noun
carat
Mutation
| Middle Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Nasalization |
| carat | charat | carat pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/ |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||