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Carnival

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car⋅ni⋅val

  [kahr-nuh-vuhl]
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–noun
1. a traveling amusement show, having sideshows, rides, etc.
2. any merrymaking, revelry, or festival, as a program of sports or entertainment: a winter carnival.
3. the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking; Shrovetide.
Origin:
1540–50; < It carnevale, OIt carnelevare taking meat away, equiv. to carne flesh (< L carnem, acc. of caro) + levare < L levāre to lift

Related forms:
car⋅ni⋅val⋅esque, car⋅ni⋅val⋅like, adjective

Synonyms:
2. fair, celebration, fete, holiday.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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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-1 in Indo-European roots) + levare, to remove (from Latin levāre, to raise; see legwh- in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

carnival 
1549, "time of merrymaking before Lent," from It. carnevale "Shrove Tuesday," from older It. forms like Milanese *carnelevale, O.Pisan carnelevare "to remove meat," lit. "raising flesh," from L. caro "flesh" + levare "lighten, raise;" folk etymology is from M.L. carne vale " 'flesh, farewell.' " Meaning "a circus or fair" is 1931, N.Amer., as is the short form carny for "one who works at a carnival."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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