Definition of carrot

Email this page to a friend

< Carrollton

carrot-and-stick >

car·rot    (krt) KEY 

NOUN:

1. A biennial Eurasian plant (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) in the parsley family, widely cultivated as an annual for its edible taproot.
2. The usually tapering, elongate, fleshy orange root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable.
3. Queen Anne's lace.
4. A reward offered for desired behavior; an inducement: "The U.S. should use a moratorium on SDI development as a carrot to bring an acceptable offensive arms limitation" (C. Peter Gall).

---

ETYMOLOGY:
French carotte, from Old French garroite, from Latin carta, from Greek karton; see ker-¹ in Indo-European roots