Mardi Gras

noun

Mar·​di Gras ˈmär-dē-ˌgrä 

in New Orleans commonly -ˌgrȯ

1

a

: Shrove Tuesday often observed (as in New Orleans) with parades and festivities

b

: a carnival period climaxing on Shrove Tuesday

2

: a festive occasion resembling a pre-Lenten Mardi Gras

Examples of Mardi Gras in a Sentence

We're going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

It was a Mardi Gras to remember!

Recent Examples on the Web

The Mardi Gras route runs along the Gulf Coast, connecting Mobile, Alabama, with New Orleans. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2026

Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery on Wednesday, stemming from a late-night bar fight the actor started during Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026

Shia LaBeouf has pleaded guilty to charges relating to an altercation during an extended Mardi Gras bar crawl that erupted into violence. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026

Actor Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of simple battery stemming from an incident in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, according to court records. —Mason Leib, ABC News, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, fat Tuesday

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for Mardi Gras

• fiberglass
• fibreglass
• hourglass
• isinglass
• lemongrass
• martinmas
• orchardgrass
• overpass
• plexiglas
• plexiglass
• sassafras
• superclass

Kids Definition

Mardi Gras

noun

Mar·​di Gras ˈmärd-ē-ˌgrä 

: the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday often observed with parades and merrymaking

Etymology

French, literally "fat Tuesday"

Word Origin

The Christian period of fasting known as Lent begins every year on Ash Wednesday. The day before Lent begins is a time of celebration and feasting in many places. One of the original reasons for such feasting was probably to use up the last supplies of foods, such as meat and fat, which were not eaten during Lent. The eating of such foods may be why the day became known in France as Mardi Gras, which means "fat Tuesday." It is also possible that the name comes from a former custom of parading a fattened ox through Paris on this day.