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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

carnival

KAH-nih-vuhl
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Carnival (noun) means a festive public celebration, often with parades, music, costumes, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent. Example: “Dancers in feathered costumes filled the streets during the carnival parade.”

noun
1
A festive public celebration, often with parades, music, costumes, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent.
"Dancers in feathered costumes filled the streets during the carnival parade."
"Rio's carnival draws millions of visitors every year."
"The whole town shuts down for carnival week."
2
A traveling fair with rides, games, and food stalls.
"A small carnival came to the field with a carousel and a candyfloss stall."
"We won a goldfish at a game stall at the carnival."
"The kids begged to go on the Ferris wheel at the carnival."
3
A chaotic, colourful, or overblown situation or spectacle.
"The school sports day became a carnival of chaos when it started pouring."
"Their wedding was a carnival of music, laughter and far too much food."
"The trial turned into a media carnival."

How to use carnival

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA big, festive celebration or fair — either the religious pre-Lent festival or a traveling amusement fair (called a "funfair" in British English).

UK vs US

In American English "carnival" often means a traveling fair with rides; in British English that's usually called a "funfair," and "carnival" leans toward the parade-and-costume festival sense.

Common pairings
carnival parade carnival atmosphere traveling carnival
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Word forms

Plural
carnivals
Third person singular
carnivals
Past tense
carnivaled, carnivalled
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Dancers in feathered costumes filled the streets during the _____ parade.

Etymology

From Italian carnevale, possibly from a Latin phrase meaning roughly "putting away meat" — a reference to the feasting held right before the meat-free fasting period of Lent.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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festival fair fete gala fiesta jamboree funfair circus

Related words

just party market beautiful average fair festival honest

Rhymes for carnival

rival arrival revival festival survival Percival adjectival
See all rhymes for carnival →

Frequently asked questions

What does “carnival” mean?
The word “carnival” means a festive public celebration, often with parades, music, costumes, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent. In plain terms, a big, festive celebration or fair — either the religious pre-Lent festival or a traveling amusement fair (called a "funfair" in British English).
How do you pronounce “carnival”?
“Carnival” is pronounced KAH-nih-vuhl (/ˈkɑɹnɪvəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “carnival” in a sentence?
Here is “carnival” used in a sentence: “Rio's carnival draws millions of visitors every year.”
What part of speech is “carnival”?
“Carnival” is a noun.
Where does the word “carnival” come from?
The word “carnival” comes from Latin. From Italian carnevale, possibly from a Latin phrase meaning roughly "putting away meat" — a reference to the feasting held right before the meat-free fasting period of Lent.
Is “carnival” a common word?
“Carnival” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “carnival” have?
“Carnival” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a festive public celebration, often with parades, music, costumes, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent.
What is the difference between a carnival and a festival?
A 'carnival' is a specific kind of festive celebration, traditionally held before Lent with parades, costumes, music, and dancing, or a travelling fair with rides and games. A 'festival' is any organised celebration or event, so a carnival is one particular type of festival.
What is the difference between a carnival and a circus?
A 'carnival' is typically a public celebration or a travelling fair with rides, games, and food stalls that visitors wander around freely, while a 'circus' is a staged show of acts such as acrobats and clowns for a seated audience. Carnivals are come-and-go attractions; circuses are ticketed performances.
Why is carnival held before Lent?
Traditionally, 'carnival' is a festive public celebration held in the period before Lent, the Christian season of fasting and reflection. It is a time of feasting, parades, music, and revelry before the more solemn weeks that follow.

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