carol
noun
a song, especially of joy.
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carol
1 American
[kar-uhl]
/ ˈkær əl /
noun
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carols
plural
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a song, especially of joy.
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a Christmas song or hymn.
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a seat in a bay window or oriel.
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a compartment in a cloister, similar to a carrel.
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a kind of circular dance.
verb (used without object)
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carols,
present (3rd person singular)
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caroled,
past participle, past
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carolled,
past participle, past (especially British)
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caroling,
present participle
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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.
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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.
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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
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carolsimple
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carolssimple
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have caroledperfect
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have carolledperfect
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has caroledperfect
-
has carolledperfect
-
am carolingprogressive
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am carollingprogressive
-
are carolingprogressive
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are carollingprogressive
-
is carolingprogressive
-
is carollingprogressive
-
have been carolingperfect progressive
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have been carollingperfect progressive
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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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
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:
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
This is not the first time Catherine - who has passed her grade three piano and grade five theory - has played at a carol service.
From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025
The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte have performed a piano duet together for a Christmas carol service.
From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025
In countries with a very cold winter, two decidedly non-Christian elements tended to be intermingled, somewhat perplexingly, with the carol form.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
As she’s recently learned, it’s an adventure that sails smack into islands of musky internet trolls and clashes with cinematic and literary titans like Christopher Nolan and Joyce Carol Oates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Carol Grantley said finding out her uncle's funeral plan was not valid gave him "a real fear of dying".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Carol Peet, who sells properties in Pembrokeshire, said she believed in some areas there are two housing markets: one for locals and one for second homes.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
There have been “attacks on shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz,” CBA’s Carol Kong says in a research report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
And Carol Lee’s daddy was teaching her how to drive since Scrappy never would.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
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
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 commissioned new compositions and laid the groundwork for what would become Tubachristmas, a yearly event held in hundreds of cities across the world featuring many traditional carols.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
The first printed collection of Christmas carols was published in 1521 by William Caxton’s appropriately named apprentice and successor, Wynkyn de Worde.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
“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
"Fill 'er up, please, right to the top," caroled a British motorist last week as he braked to a happy stop at a gas pump.
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
Blue birds, yellow birds, sat on the fences and carolled at each other as if the world were always May.
From Ancestors A Novel by Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn
The poor wild-wood bird, so long caged, yet ever longing to be free, carolled and mused by turns, or permitted her joyous nature to gush out in exclamations of delight.
From The American Gentleman's Guide to Politeness and Fashion or, Familiar Letters to his Nephews by Lunettes, Henry
Silk-winged breezes played amidst the flowers, and birds of every description carolled their song in varying strains.
From Alida or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War. Founded on Fact by Comfield, Amelia Stratton
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
While giving a tour of the farm hours before caroling, Vinson described the precautions taken at Churchtown Dairy, including regular testing and treating the cows’ udders with an iodine solution.
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 was okay with it really, but still, it wasn’t a big thrill hanging out alone in my room for most of the night, listening to my parents’ off-key bickering caroling up the stairs.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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
The whole thing winds up where it began, with the star, efficiently cured of his miseries, embracing his younger self, and carolling “I’m Still Standing.”
From The New Yorker ● May 31, 2019
Which poet is carolling a “Song on May Morning”?
From The Guardian ● May 21, 2012
“I have heard her carolling like a bird.”
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
