1. Plural of carat; units of weight used to measure gemstones and precious metals, equal to 200 milligrams.
Usage: Most commonly used in jewelry and gemology contexts.
2. Plural of carat; units expressing the purity of gold, where 24 carats represents pure gold.
Usage: Used in metallurgy and jewelry to denote gold fineness.

Examples

• The diamond weighed 2.5 carates.
• She inherited a ring made of 18-carat gold.
• The gemologist measured the stone in carates to determine its value.
• High-quality diamonds are often sold by the carat, with prices increasing exponentially as carates increase.
• The necklace contained several carates of precious stones.