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definitions

carol

[ kar-uh l ]
/ ˈkær əl /
|
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noun

verb (used without object), car·oled, car·ol·ing or (especially British) car·olled, car·ol·ling.

to sing Christmas songs or hymns, especially in a group performing in a public place or going from house to house.
to sing, especially in a lively, joyous manner; warble.

verb (used with object), car·oled, car·ol·ing or (especially British) car·olled, car·ol·ling.

to sing joyously.
to praise or celebrate in song.

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RELATED WORDS

song, chorus, strain, lay, ditty, ballad, madrigal, canticle, Noel, canzonet

Nearby words

  1. carné,
  2. caro,
  3. caro's acid,
  4. carob,
  5. caroche,
  6. carol city,
  7. carol ii,
  8. carol stream,
  9. carol.,
  10. carola

Origin of carol

1250–1300; Middle English carole ring, circle (of stones), enclosed place for study (see carrel), ringdance with song (hence, song) < Anglo-French carole, Old French *corole (compare Old Provençal corola), apparently < Latin corolla garland (see corolla), conflated with Latin choraula < Greek choraúlēs piper for choral dance, equivalent to chor(ós) chorus + -aulēs, derivative of aulós pipe
Related formscar·ol·er; especially British, car·ol·ler, nounout·car·ol, verb (used with object), out·car·oled, out·car·ol·ing or (especially British) out·car·olled, out·car·ol·ling.un·car·oled, adjectiveun·car·olled, adjective

Carol

[ kar-uh l ]
/ ˈkær əl /

noun

a male or female given name.

Carol.

Carolingian.

Carol II

[ kar-uh l; Romanian kah-rawl ]
/ ˈkær əl; Romanian ˈkɑ rɔl /

noun

1893–1953, king of Romania 1930–40.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for carol

British Dictionary definitions for carol

carol

/ (ˈkærəl) /

noun

a joyful hymn or religious song, esp one (a Christmas carol) celebrating the birth of Christ
archaic an old English circular dance

verb -ols, -olling or -olled or US -ols, -oling or -oled

(intr) to sing carols at Christmas
to sing (something) in a joyful manner
Derived Formscaroler or caroller, nouncaroling or carolling, noun

Word Origin for carol

C13: from Old French, of uncertain origin

Carol II

/ (ˈkærəl) /

noun

1893–1953, king of Romania (1930–40), who was deposed by the Iron Guard
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for carol
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper