CARACT, CARAT, or CARRAT, the name of that weight which expresses the degree of fineness that gold is of.
The mint-master, or custom, have fixed the purity of gold at 24 carats; though it is not possible so to purify and refine that metal, but it will want still about one fourth part of a carat in absolute purity and perfection. The carat is divided into , , , and . These degrees serve to distinguish the greater or lesser quantity of alloy therein contained; for instance, gold of 22 carats, is that which has two parts of silver, or of any other metal, and 22 of fine gold.