Main Entry:

¹car·ni·val

Pronunciation:

\ˈkär-nə-vəl\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Italian carnevale, alteration of earlier carnelevare, literally, removal of meat, from carne flesh (from Latin carn-, caro) + levare to remove, from Latin, to raise

Date:

1549

1: a season or festival of merrymaking before Lent2 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>