carousel

noun

car·​ou·​sel ˌker-ə-ˈsel How to pronounce carousel (audio)
ˌka-rə-,
also
-ˈzel How to pronounce carousel (audio) ˈker-ə-ˌsel How to pronounce carousel (audio)
ˈka-rə-
variants or less commonly carrousel
1
: a tournament or exhibition in which horsemen execute evolutions
2
b
: a circular conveyor
the luggage carousel at the airport
c
: a revolving case or tray used for storage or display

Examples of carousel in a Sentence

He loves to ride on the carousel at the park. the luggage carousel at the airport a CD player with a six-disk carousel
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The beauty mogul and mom of two shared the sad news on Instagram with an emotional tribute to the dog, complete with a carousel of photos of Norman through the years. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 Attractions covered by admission include a Lainey Wilson corn maze, hay ride, cow and pumpkin trains, carousel, zip line, jumping pillows, obstacle course, petting farm, mechanical swings and slides, musical shows and so much more. Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025 On Monday, October 20, Sunday Rose posted a carousel of images taken during the trip to Paris Fashion Week with her mom, including candid pictures of Kidman. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2025 Other updates include new flexible carousels that show alternative listings outside initial search criteria. Samantha Subin, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for carousel

Word History

Etymology

French carrousel, from Italian carosello

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carousel was in 1650

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carousel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carousel. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

carousel

noun
car·​ou·​sel
variants also carrousel
ˌkar-ə-ˈsel,
 also  -ˈzel;
ˈkar-ə-ˌsel,
 also  -ˌzel

More from Merriam-Webster on carousel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!