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.
The carousel of leaders has taken its toll, driving up borrowing costs and dragging down investment.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
It is natural that the carousel nature of her coaching choices - burning through several full-time coaches, as well as ad hoc guidance - has swung back to almost the very start.
From BBC • May 22, 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
The first photo in the carousel showed the happy couple grinning from ear-to-ear as Owens signed his contract, while other snaps documented their tour of the facility, including an impressive indoor training area.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
The 184-inch, nestled within an enormous, circular red-domed building resembling an enclosed carousel on the hilltop above campus, was still the Rad Lab’s showpiece.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
