carol
noun
a song, especially of joy.
carol
1 American
[kar-uhl]
/ ˈkær əl /
noun
-
carols
plural
-
a song, especially of joy.
-
a Christmas song or hymn.
-
a seat in a bay window or oriel.
-
a compartment in a cloister, similar to a carrel.
-
a kind of circular dance.
verb (used without object)
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carols,
present (3rd person singular)
-
caroled,
past participle, past
-
carolled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
caroling,
present participle
-
carolling
present participle (especially British)
-
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)
-
carols,
present (3rd person singular)
-
caroled,
past participle, past
-
carolled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
caroling,
present participle
-
carolling
present participle (especially British)
-
to sing joyously.
-
to praise or celebrate in song.
Carol
2
American
[kar-uhl]
/ ˈkær əl /
noun
Carol.
3
American
abbreviation
carol
British
/ 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
-
(intr) to sing carols at Christmas
-
to sing (something) in a joyful manner
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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carolernoun
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carolingnoun
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outcarolverb (used with object)
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uncaroledadjective
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uncarolledadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
carolsimple
-
carolssimple
-
have caroledperfect
-
have carolledperfect
-
has caroledperfect
-
has carolledperfect
-
am carolingprogressive
-
am carollingprogressive
-
are carolingprogressive
-
are carollingprogressive
-
is carolingprogressive
-
is carollingprogressive
-
have been carolingperfect progressive
-
have been carollingperfect progressive
-
has been carolingperfect progressive
-
has been carollingperfect progressive
Past
-
caroledsimple
-
carolledsimple
-
had caroledperfect
-
had carolledperfect
-
was carolingprogressive
-
was carollingprogressive
-
were carolingprogressive
-
were carollingprogressive
-
had been carolingperfect progressive
-
had been carollingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
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
Explanation
A carol is a religious song that's sung around Christmas time. In some towns, people who celebrate Christmas go to neighbors' houses and sing carols. The most well-known carols are Christmas carols, but word applies to other religious songs as well. Various hymns and folk songs are sometimes called carols, and you can use the word as a verb to mean "sing a carol." In the 14th century, carol meant "to sing," but also "to dance in a ring," from the Old French carole, "ring dance accompanied by singers," probably from the Greek khoraules, "flute player who accompanies the dance."
Vocabulary lists containing carol
Joy To The Word: Christmas Terms
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Let's Go Caroling, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The School for Good and Evil
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
She was also given police protection at a carol service where she was the special guest.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
In front of Christmas trees originally used for the Princess of Wales's carol concert at the Abbey, he spoke of the importance of community cohesion and bridging divides.
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025
Britain's Princess Catherine and her daughter Charlotte have teamed up to perform a piano duet in a prerecorded clip for a Wednesday replay of a Christmas carol service.
From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025
The King, who seemed in festive form, joked with carol singers that they must be "moonlighting from the Royal Opera House" and teased reporters that they were not getting to test the drinks on display.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
Which is why the epigraph of this book is the quatrain from the famous Christmas carol.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
In Scarborough's North Bay, Phil and Carol Smith said they would still visit the resort even if a tourism levy was introduced.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
"It's a busy town. Some more places to sit, and especially some more public toilets, would be money well spent," Carol said.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
“At UPS, we intend to leverage the full power of our global network,” Chief Executive Carol Tomé said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
The thunderstorm potential is driven by moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Iselle, said Carol Ciliberti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
But there was enough in the dish, finally, to write almost a half-page of a letter to Carol.
From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen
A waiter friend said, “You have nothing to complain about, Carol. You found your soul mate, the love of your life. The rest of us may never find what you have.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2022
At times, she recalled, she would advocate for an individual to be released, and a fellow board member would respond, “He’s playing you, Carol. He’s got your number.”
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 25, 2019
Carol enjoyed something of a return to “I am Carol. Do not fudge with Carol” mode too.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 12, 2017
“When I call your name, come stand behind the table if you’re with me, or go over by the door if you’re with Carol. Got it?”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Walt Whitman wrote that he heard America singing in the carols of mechanics, carpenters, and shoemakers building our country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Girl Scouts sing carols as onlookers sip cocoa at the annual lighting ceremony.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2025
The dazzling display of lights, accompanied by religious and festive imagery and soundtracked by Filipino rap and Christmas carols, is part of the annual Giant Lantern Festival.
From Barron's ● Dec. 19, 2025
Traditional Christmas carols will be sung in the specially decorated Abbey, with readings and music from performers including Hannah Waddingham and Kate Winslet.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025
He heard the quiet singing of Christmas carols.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
“For he’s a jolly good patient, for he’s a jolly good patient, for he’s a jolly good patient, which no one can deny!” the staff caroled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2022
Crystal’s uncle, a professional Santa, was at home with the sniffles, but the group still caroled before perplexed motorists.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 24, 2016
For want of glitzy decorations, flowers adorn communal areas and hymns are caroled with great gusto.
From Time ● Dec. 25, 2013
"She certainly won't get any publicity from me !" caroled Miss Lawrence on the Aquitania.
From Time Magazine Archive
And then, from the tall pines and birches that ringed the pond, a wood thrush caroled.
From "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit
He’s made personal appearances at Atlanta Braves games and carolled with the Falcons.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 19, 2019
After a prima donna had carolled the National Anthem, John F. Hylan, Mayor of New York, gave the "Caseys" the freedom of the City in one of his famed welcome-speeches.
From Time Magazine Archive
Now, when Christopher was pursued by his persecutor, and sought refuge on the house-tops, sitting upon them much after the fashion of a tailor, he carolled the song we have just quoted most merrily.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 13 by Various
Ivas carolled, as he entered, a verse of a song he had learned from Gigante.
From The Jew by Jo?zef Ignacy Kraszewski
One of the young ladies, a goddaughter of the hostess, carolled a stanza from a popular ditty.
From London Days A Book of Reminiscences by Arthur Warren
At the previous luncheon, Rice had pledged to send GEO employees Christmas caroling across town; he even gave Mayor LaDawn Edwards $300.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2025
Instead of caroling and ringing church bells, the most prominent sounds on Christmastide were now town criers calling: "No Christmas! No Christmas!"
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
This year, preregistration for the two caroling events filled up within hours of going online.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 24, 2023
Christmas means different traditions for those who celebrate, whether it's white elephant gifts, seeing holiday lights, volunteering, caroling with good company or partaking in various foods.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2022
I could hear that she was happy and sad, even with my sisters yelping and Johnny Mathis caroling.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
No carolling, no parties and even Germany's much loved glühwein stalls will close, as drinking outdoors is banned.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2020
The Rockettes notwithstanding, you’d be hard pressed to find a more authentically New York City holiday tradition than this annual boom-box carolling event, devised and led by the composer Phil Kline.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 15, 2019
How is the Ghost of Christmas Past able to change Scrooge’s mind—to make him feel affection and pity for the carolling urchin?
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 24, 2015
Which poet is carolling a “Song on May Morning”?
From The Guardian ● May 21, 2012
He paused: the birds went on carolling, the leaves lightly rustling.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
