The carrot is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, Daucus carota, native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The plant probably originated in Persia and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds. The most commonly eaten part of the plant is the taproot, although the stems and leaves are also eaten. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for its enlarged, more palatable, less woody-textured taproot.

एतत् गृञ्जनकम् अपि भारते वर्धमानः कश्चन शाकविशेषः । इदम् अपि सस्यजन्यः आहारपादार्थः । एतत् गृञ्जनकम् आङ्ग्लभाषायां Carrot इति उच्यते । एतत् गृञ्जनकं भारते तु शाकत्वेन सर्वत्र उपयुज्यते एव । एतेन क्वथितं, व्यञ्जनं, रोटिका, कोषम्भरी, पायसं, मधुरं (हल्वानामकं), दाधिकम् इत्यादिकं निर्मीयते । एतत् गृञ्जनकम् अपि बहुविधं भवति ।