carousel
noun
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carousel
1 American
[kar-uh-sel, kar-uh-sel]
/ ˌkær əˈsɛl, ˈkær əˌsɛl /
Sometimes
carrousel
noun
-
a continuously revolving belt, track or other device on which items are placed for later retrieval.
a baggage carousel at an airport.
Carousel
2
American
[kar-uh-sel, kar-uh-sel]
/ ˌkær əˈsɛl, ˈkær əˌsɛl /
Trademark.
carousel
British
/ ˌkærəˈsɛl, -ˈzɛl /
noun
-
a circular magazine in which slides for a projector are held: it moves round as each slide is shown
-
a rotating conveyor belt for luggage, as at an airport
-
Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): merry-go-round. roundabout. a revolving circular platform provided with wooden animals, seats, etc, on which people ride for amusement
-
history a tournament in which horsemen took part in races and various manoeuvres in formation
Etymology
Origin of carousel
First recorded in 1640–50; from French: “kind of tournament,” from Italian carosello “kind of ball game,” from Neapolitan dialect carusello “game played with clay balls, clay ball,” literally, “little head,” equivalent to carus(o) “shorn head” (perhaps based on the Greek stem kors- “shave”) + -ello diminutive suffix
Explanation
A carousel is a circular, rotating amusement ride with seats for children. Do you like roller coasters or is the carousel more your speed? If you’re at a carnival, a carousel probably has fake horses. But if you’re at an airport, the carousel is a conveyor belt that carries luggage (no horses). Carousel was originally the name of an event at tournaments of 16th century knights. In the carousel, knights would charge, full speed on ornately decorated horses, trying to put the tip of their lance through a golden ring. This carousel was inspired by Middle Eastern games witnessed by knights in the Crusades.
Vocabulary lists containing carousel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s also been a carousel of leadership changes before Frank Bisignano, commissioner of the Social Security Administration, was tapped as CEO for the IRS.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
Four larger cylinders sat on a rotating carousel, while four smaller masses were suspended inside on a copper-beryllium ribbon about as thick as a human hair.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
When her suitcase did not arrive on the baggage carousel, Rosie and Tina, the Danish friend she had travelled with, say they informed staff at the airport and spoke to lost property.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
The British capital will once again host its Autumn/Winter fashion week from Thursday to Monday, after New York's bonanza and before the catwalk carousel moves to Milan and Paris.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
The room turned like a carousel, with my stomach gliding up and down.
From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
