carnival

American  

[kahr-nuh-vuhl] / ˈkɑr nə vəl /

noun

1. a traveling amusement show, having sideshows, rides, etc.

2. any merrymaking, revelry, or festival, as a program of sports or entertainment.

   a winter carnival.

   Synonyms:

   holiday, fete, celebration, fair

3. the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking; Shrovetide.

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carnival British  

/ ˈkɑːnɪvəl /

noun

1. 1. a festive occasion or period marked by merrymaking, processions, etc: esp in some Roman Catholic countries, the period just before Lent

   2. ( as modifier )

      a carnival atmosphere

2. a travelling fair having merry-go-rounds, etc

3. a show or display arranged as an amusement

4. a sports meeting

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Usage

What is Carnival? Carnival, with a capital C, refers to the multiple-day period of merrymaking before the start of Lent. It is especially associated with the massive street festival held annually in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is famous for its big parades, ornate costumes, and samba dancing. Carnival is also celebrated in many other countries, especially those with large Catholic populations, including Italy, Spain, France, and Germany (where it is called Fasching). The equivalent pre-Lent celebration in the U. S. (especially New Orleans) and some other places is known as Mardi Gras. In religious contexts, the three-day period before Lent is known as Shrovetide. Carnival is part of a tradition of indulging before the Lenten fast, but it is not a Christian holiday. Carnival is also sometimes spelled Carnaval.

Other Word Forms

• carnivalesque adjective
• carnivallike adjective
• precarnival adjective

Etymology

Origin of carnival

1540–50; < Italian carnevale, Old Italian carnelevare taking meat away, equivalent to carne flesh (< Latin carnem, accusative of caro ) + levare < Latin levāre to lift

Compare meaning

How does carnival compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• carnival vs. Mardi Gras

Explanation

If you have an annual festival going on in your neighborhood that involves live music, street vendors, and games, you could call that a carnival. The word carnival originally referred to a public festival involving general merriment and feasting, often taking place on the street and frequently associated with a religious holiday. Later the word’s meaning broadened to refer to a traveling show that offers similar activities, like a winter carnival or a fair. Nowadays the word carnival is also used figuratively to refer to something characterized by raucous disorder. If, for example, your coworkers ended up heckling your CEO at a company meeting, you could describe the scene as a carnival (although you would most likely NOT see any cotton candy in the board room).

Example Sentences

Some of his earlier memories are of dancing at family birthday parties or big public carnival events where the country’s top orchestras would play.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Inside the exhibit hall, there was a carnival game where contestants could see who could shoot the most water at a target.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

It turns the world into a carnival of danger and desperation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Most of the dead were students returning from a carnival weekend.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Pictures with Carl were taken just inside the entrance, then we were cut loose to enjoy the carnival part: rides, games, delectable delicacies like Koolickles and deep-fried Ho Hos, the whole deal.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone