carol

1 of 2

noun

car·​ol ˈker-əl How to pronounce carol (audio)
ˈka-rəl
1
: an old round dance with singing
2
: a song of joy or mirth
the carol of a birdLord Byron
3
: a popular song or ballad of religious joy

carol

2 of 2

verb

caroled or carolled; caroling or carolling

intransitive verb

1
: to sing especially in a joyful manner
2
: to sing carols
specifically : to go about outdoors in a group singing Christmas carols

transitive verb

1
: to praise in or as if in song
2
: to sing especially in a cheerful manner : warble
caroler noun
or caroller
ˈker-ə-lər How to pronounce carol (audio)
ˈka-rə-

Examples of carol in a Sentence

Noun We sang our favorite carols while we decorated the tree. sang carols at the Christmas Eve service Verb Last night, we went caroling with our friends. she caroled with glee when she heard the good news
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Participants will walk through the neighborhood and stop at several locations to sing carols before returning to the church for piñatas, crafts and traditional Mexican refreshments. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Dec. 2023 If your idea of the perfect holiday show involves dancing sugar plums and family-friendly carols, there’s no shortage of options. Eric Spitznagel, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Dec. 2023 By that logic, carols, with their measured pace, could be conducive to a happy herd. Arielle Gordon Alexandra Genova, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023 Pick a favorite carol lyric or holiday saying, and write it on a chalkboard tag. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2023 There will be a prayer ritual, consisting of readings and carols. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023 In the clip, the pair took turns randomly selecting a card with carol lyrics and then interpreting them dramatically. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023 On Christmas Eve, children pad around villages or up and down the stairwells of apartment blocks, singing carols and receiving small gifts from those who listened, a tradition carried out now on Dec. 24 instead of Jan. 6. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2023 As well as highlighting the Shaping Us campaign, Kate used the third annual carol concert to pay tribute to professionals in the sector, and many were invited to the big event at Westminster Abbey. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 23 Dec. 2023
Verb
On Saturday, the Churchtown Dairy in Claverack, N.Y., once again hosted a Yuletide tradition: caroling to the herd of 28 cattle that call the cathedral-like barn their winter home. Arielle Gordon Alexandra Genova, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023 This year, preregistration for the two caroling events filled up within hours of going online. Arielle Gordon Alexandra Genova, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023 While Linda and the family are planning to go caroling, Mr. Fischoeder begs Bob to come by his house for another one of his dubious schemes. EW.com, 27 Nov. 2023 Community caroling groups will sing holiday favorite songs to entertain visitors between the 6 and 7 p.m. light shows. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2023 The rhythm of caroling and performing Christmas plays leaped forward two weeks. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2023 The fireside is blazing bright, and Kelly Clarkson is caroling through the night! Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 20 Dec. 2023 While giving a tour of the farm hours before caroling, Mr. Vinson described the precautions taken at Churchtown Dairy, including regular testing and treating the cows’ udders with an iodine solution. Arielle Gordon Alexandra Genova, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023 The festival will feature caroling by various community groups. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English carole, from Anglo-French, modification of Late Latin choraula choral song, from Latin, choral accompanist, from Greek choraulēs, from choros chorus + aulein to play a reed instrument, from aulos, a reed instrument — more at alveolus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carol was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near carol

Cite this Entry

“Carol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carol. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

carol

1 of 2 noun
car·​ol ˈkar-əl How to pronounce carol (audio)
: a usually religious song of joy

carol

2 of 2 verb
caroled or carolled; caroling or carolling
1
: to sing especially in a joyful manner
2
: to sing carols and especially Christmas carols
caroler noun
or caroller

More from Merriam-Webster on carol

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