carnival: Meaning and Definition of

car•ni•val

Pronunciation: (kär'nu-vul), [key]
— n.
  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.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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