# carrot

/ˈkæɹət/ (US) · /kˈæɹət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/carrot
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. the vegetable

noun · CEFR A1

a long, orange root vegetable that is often eaten raw or cooked.

For teachers: the edible, typically orange, taproot of the plant Daucus carota. Often used uncountably when referring to the food substance.

- I usually add a chopped carrot to the soup for extra sweetness.
- The chef finely grated the carrot to ensure it would soften quickly within the base of the mirepoix.

### 2. an incentive

noun · CEFR B2

a reward that is offered to someone to encourage them to do something.

For teachers: a promised or offered incentive used to motivate specific behaviour, often contrasted with 'the stick' (punishment).

- The company offered a large bonus as a carrot to improve sales.
- Management preferred using the carrot of performance-based bonuses rather than the stick of disciplinary warnings to increase productivity.

### 3. a redhead

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous

a person with bright orange or red hair.

For teachers: a person with red or ginger hair. Often used as a nickname or a mild pejorative.

- The kids at school used to call him 'Carrot' because of his bright hair.
- Though he was affectionately known as 'Carrot' among his teammates, he occasionally found the nickname tiresome in professional settings.

### 4. the colour

noun · CEFR B2

a bright, yellowish-orange colour.

For teachers: a specific shade of orange resembling the hue of the vegetable's flesh.

- She wore a bright carrot orange scarf that matched her coat.
- The interior designer suggested a muted carrot tone for the accent wall to provide warmth without overwhelming the natural light.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.