carnival

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A public festival with music, parades, dancing, and people in costumes.

   Thousands of people danced in the streets during the carnival.

2. 2
   noun

   A travelling amusement park with rides, games, and shows.

   We all rode the merry-go-round when the carnival came to town.

From Middle French carnaval, from Italian carnevale, possibly from the Latin phrase carnem levāmen (“meat dismissal”). Other scholars suggest Latin carnuālia (“meat-based country feast”) or carrus nāvālis (“boat wagon; float”) instead. Doublet of carnaval.

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