Carat vs Karat | Definition, Explanation & Examples
Carat and karat are both nouns that relate to the world of jewelry, and they can cause confusion. This is partly because their use and meaning are different in British English and American English.
| Meaning | Correct word in British English and American English |
|---|---|
| Measurement of size for diamonds | Carat/carat |
| Purity of gold | Carat/karat/carat |
Table of contents
Carat vs karat
In British English, carat is a noun that refers to the size of a diamond or the purity of gold.
In American English, carat is used for diamond size, but the measurement of gold purity is spelled karat. Carat is not unheard of in American English, but it is less common.
As a measure of diamond size, a carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. The purity of gold is described in karats, where 24 karats is 100 percent gold. Thus, 12 karat gold is 50 percent gold and 50 percent other metals.
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
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Frequently asked questions about carat vs karat
- Is it 24 carat or 24 karat gold?
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In American English, the usual spelling is karat, although carat is also acceptable. In British English, the measurement of the purity of gold is spelled carat.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure your spelling of carat/karat is correct.
- Is caret a word?
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Yes, caret is a word. It is the name for this symbol: “^”. It is used in the publishing industry to indicate where an insertion needs to be made. It is sometimes written in subscript: “^”.
Although it is pronounced the same, its meaning is not related to carat or karat, which are terms used to measure gold and gemstones.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure you use words like caret correctly.
- How big is a carat?
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A carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. It is a measurement used to describe the mass of diamonds. A common mistake is to think that it describes the dimensions of a gem, but this is not the case.
In British English, carat is also used to describe the purity of gold. In American English, it is usually spelled karat. In both cases, 24 carat/karat gold refers to 100 percent pure gold.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you ensure you are using the correct spelling of carat/karat.
