carnival

[ kahr-nuh-vuhl ]
/ ˈkɑr nə vəl /

noun

a traveling amusement show, having sideshows, rides, etc.
any merrymaking, revelry, or festival, as a program of sports or entertainment: a winter carnival.
the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking; Shrovetide.

Origin of carnival

1540–50; < Italian carnevale, Old Italian carnelevare taking meat away, equivalent to carne flesh (< Latin carnem, accusative of caro) + levare < Latin levāre to lift

OTHER WORDS FROM carnival

car·ni·val·esque, car·ni·val·like, adjective pre·car·ni·val, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for carnivalesque

  • Her first feature, Orphans , received a Jury Prize at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival and was released on DVD by Carnivalesque Films.

    Thank God My Moms Are Lesbians |Ry Russo-Young |June 21, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
  • The Florentines at any rate spend no more money nor faith on the carnivalesque.

    Italian Hours |Henry James

British Dictionary definitions for carnivalesque (1 of 2)

carnivalesque
/ (ˌkɑːnɪvəˈlɛsk) /

adjective

characteristic of, suitable for, or like a carnival

British Dictionary definitions for carnivalesque (2 of 2)

carnival
/ (ˈkɑːnɪvəl) /

noun

  1. a festive occasion or period marked by merrymaking, processions, etc: esp in some Roman Catholic countries, the period just before Lent
  2. (as modifier)a carnival atmosphere
a travelling fair having merry-go-rounds, etc
a show or display arranged as an amusement
Australian a sports meeting

Word Origin for carnival

C16: from Italian carnevale, from Old Italian carnelevare a removing of meat (referring to the Lenten fast)