carrot
- 01 A1 Beginner
a long, orange root vegetable that is often eaten raw or cooked.
the edible, typically orange, taproot of the plant Daucus carota. Often used uncountably when referring to the food substance.
Simple“I usually add a chopped carrot to the soup for extra sweetness.”
In context“The chef finely grated the carrot to ensure it would soften quickly within the base of the mirepoix.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a reward that is offered to someone to encourage them to do something.
a promised or offered incentive used to motivate specific behaviour, often contrasted with 'the stick' (punishment).
Simple“The company offered a large bonus as a carrot to improve sales.”
In context“Management preferred using the carrot of performance-based bonuses rather than the stick of disciplinary warnings to increase productivity.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a person with bright orange or red hair.
a person with red or ginger hair. Often used as a nickname or a mild pejorative.
Simple“The kids at school used to call him 'Carrot' because of his bright hair.”
In context“Though he was affectionately known as 'Carrot' among his teammates, he occasionally found the nickname tiresome in professional settings.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a bright, yellowish-orange colour.
a specific shade of orange resembling the hue of the vegetable's flesh.
Simple“She wore a bright carrot orange scarf that matched her coat.”
In context“The interior designer suggested a muted carrot tone for the accent wall to provide warmth without overwhelming the natural light.”
Synonymsorangetangerine
From Middle English karette and Middle French carotte, both from Latin carōta, from Ancient Greek καρωτόν (karōtón). Doublet of carotte and related to caraway. Displaced native Middle English more, from Old English more, moru (“edible root, parsnip, carrot”), related to German Möhre (“carrot”). * Noun sense of "motivational tool" refers to carrot and stick. * Verb sense in felt manufacture refers to the orange colour of drying furs.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.