Carrot

Recently harvested carrots

"Carrot" is the common name for a root vegetable whose scientific name is Daucus carota and also the name of a written symbol (sometimes called a "punctuation mark") with a similarly pointed shape. Figuratively, a "carrot" is a reward, contrasted to the notion of punishment in the expression "carrot and stick."

Homonyms

• carat: unit for measuring the weight of precious stones; also (UK English), unit for measuring the proportion of gold in an alloy, such that 24 carats is pure gold
• caret: (UK English) the punctuation mark (^), sometimes called a "top hat"
• karat: (American English) unit for measuring the proportion of gold in a piece of metal (usually jewelry)