carnival
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car·ni·val
(kär′nə-vəl)n.
1. often Carnival The period of merrymaking and feasting celebrated just before Lent.
2. A traveling amusement show usually including rides, games, and sideshows.
3. A festival or revel: winter carnival.
[Italian carnevale, from Old Italian carnelevare, Shrovetide : carne, meat (from Latin carō, carn-; see sker- in Indo-European roots) + levare, to remove (from Latin levāre, to raise; see legwh- in Indo-European roots).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
carnival
(ˈkɑːnɪvəl)n
1.
a. a festive occasion or period marked by merrymaking, processions, etc: esp in some Roman Catholic countries, the period just before Lent
b. (as modifier): a carnival atmosphere.
2. a travelling fair having merry-go-rounds, etc
3. a show or display arranged as an amusement
4. Austral a sports meeting
[C16: from Italian carnevale, from Old Italian carnelevare a removing of meat (referring to the Lenten fast)]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
car•ni•val
(ˈkɑr nə vəl)n.
1. a traveling amusement show having sideshows and rides.
2. a festival: a winter carnival of sports and games.
3. the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking.
[1540–50; < Italian carnevale, early Italian carnelevare taking meat away =carne flesh + levare < Latin levāre to lift]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
fair
carnival1. 'fair'
In British English, a fair is an event held in a park or field at which people pay to ride on various machines for amusement or try to win prizes in games.
...all the fun of the fair, with dodgem cars, stalls, candy floss and children's rides.
2. 'carnival'
In American English, an event like this is called a carnival.
It reminds me of when the carnival came to Hudson Falls, N.Y., when I was a boy.
In British English, a carnival is an outdoor public festival which is held every year in a particular place. During a carnival, music is played and people sometimes dance in the streets.
The Notting Hill Carnival in August is the largest street festival in Europe.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | carnival - a festival marked by merrymaking and processions festival, fete - an organized series of acts and performances (usually in one place); "a drama festival" Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras - a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday (the last day before Lent) but especially in New Orleans |
2. | carnival - a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment; "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere" disturbance - the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion | |
3. | carnival - a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc. show - the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining; "a remarkable show of skill" midway - the place at a fair or carnival where sideshows and similar amusements are located |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
carnival
noun
1. festival, fair, fête, celebration, gala, jubilee, jamboree, Mardi Gras, revelry, merrymaking, fiesta, holiday The town is best known for its carnivals with masked balls and firework processions.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
كَرْنَفَالكَرنفال: احْتِفال مَسيرات عُمومي
karneval
karneval
karnevaali
karneval
karnevál
kjötkveîjuhátíî, karnival
カーニバル
카니발
karnavalas
karnevāls
karneval
karneval
karneval
งานฉลองของมวลชน
ngày hội
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
carnival
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
carnival
(ˈkaːnivəl) noun a public entertainment, often involving processions of people in fancy dress etc. a winter carnival.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
carnival
→ كَرْنَفَال karneval karneval Karneval καρναβάλι carnaval, feria karnevaali carnaval karneval carnevale カーニバル 카니발 carnaval karneval karnawał carnaval карнавал karneval งานฉลองของมวลชน karnaval ngày hội 狂欢节Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009