Carousel

¹

[kar-uh-sel, kar-uh-sel]

Trademark.

1. a circular tray in which photographic transparencies are held on a projector and from which they are lowered through slots for projection as the tray is rotated.

carousel

²

Sometimes car·rou·sel

[kar-uh-sel, kar-uh-sel]

noun

1. merry-go-round.

2. a continuously revolving belt, track or other device on which items are placed for later retrieval.

   a baggage carousel at an airport.

carousel

/ ˌkærəˈsɛl, -ˈzɛl /

noun

1. a circular magazine in which slides for a projector are held: it moves round as each slide is shown

2. a rotating conveyor belt for luggage, as at an airport

3. 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

4. history a tournament in which horsemen took part in races and various manoeuvres in formation

Word History and Origins

Origin of Carousel¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Carousel¹

C17: from French carrousel, from Italian carosello, of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Clara posted a carousel photo on Instagram with tigers, an elk, a horse, and cats and dogs.

Read more on BBC

The show’s minimalism extends to its set by Soutra Gilmour: two oversize piles of luggage on a turntable—conceptually clever even if it may trigger unpleasant memories of long, foot-tapping waits at airport carousels.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Investors might be feeling queasy about the carousel of circular deals and financing.

Read more on Barron's

As soon as we enter, the forest spins around like a carousel, making me dizzy and nauseous.

Read more on Literature

López Mari’s brother Benet Mari, served as the director of photography — and happened to have the resources to get a carousel on the beach.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• roundabout 
• whirligig