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

1. the school's annual winter carnival
2. That part of town is a carnival on Friday and Saturday nights.
3. There is a carnival atmosphere in the office.
4. 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

Synonyms: festival, celebration, fest, festivity, fete (or fête), fiesta, gala, jubilee

Related Words: jamboree, jollification, jollity [British], merriment, merrymaking, rejoicing, revel, revelry; exhibit, exhibition, exposition, fair, show; exercises, honors

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Other Performing Arts Terms

diva, dramaturgy, loge, prestidigitation, proscenium, supernumerary, zany