carnival
1car·ni·val
noun \ˈkär-nə-vəl\Definition of CARNIVAL
1
: a season or festival of merrymaking before Lent
2
a : an instance of merrymaking, feasting, or masquerading b : an instance of riotous excess <a carnival of violence>
3
a : a traveling enterprise offering amusements b : an organized program of entertainment or exhibition : festival <a winter carnival>
Examples of CARNIVAL
- the school's annual winter carnival
- That part of town is a carnival on Friday and Saturday nights.
- There is a carnival atmosphere in the office.
- The garden became a carnival of color.
Origin of CARNIVAL
Italian carnevale, alteration of earlier carnelevare, literally, removal of meat, from carne flesh (from Latin carn-, caro) + levare to remove, from Latin, to raise
First Known Use: 1549
Related to CARNIVAL
Other Performing Arts Terms
2carnival
adjectiveDefinition of CARNIVAL
: suggestive of or suited to a carnival <a carnival atmosphere> <carnival colors>
First Known Use of CARNIVAL
1605
carnival
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Final celebration before the fasting and austerity of Lent in some Roman Catholic regions. The most famous and probably most exuberant carnival is that of Rio de Janeiro, which is celebrated with masked balls, costumes, and parades; the best-known U.S. celebration is Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The first day of carnival season varies with local traditions, but carnival usually ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before the start of Lent.
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