carnival: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “carnival” mean?
A public festival, typically involving processions, music, dancing, and colorful costumes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A public festival, typically involving processions, music, dancing, and colorful costumes.
Any festive season or event marked by revelry, freedom from restraint, or traveling entertainment, such as a funfair.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'carnival' often refers to a travelling funfair with rides and sideshows (a 'travelling carnival'). In the US, this is less common; 'carnival' more strongly denotes a public festival, especially a pre-Lenten celebration.
Connotations
UK: Strong connotation of a funfair; US: Stronger connotation of a large cultural/street festival.
Frequency
Common in both varieties, but typical collocations differ.
Grammar
How to Use “carnival” in a Sentence
The [PLACE] carnivalA carnival of [ABSTRACT NOUN, e.g., colour, sound]To celebrate carnivalVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “carnival” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- To carnival is not a standard verb.
American English
- To carnival is not a standard verb.
adverb
British English
- carnivally (extremely rare, non-standard)
American English
- carnivally (extremely rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- carnivalesque (resembling a carnival)
- The town had a carnival atmosphere.
American English
- carnival-like
- She wore a carnival mask.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could refer to a company 'fun day' styled as a carnival.
Academic
Used in cultural, historical, or sociological studies of festivals.
Everyday
Very common for discussing local events, holidays, and entertainment.
Technical
Not technical.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “carnival”
- Using 'carnival' for a small private party (use 'party' or 'masquerade').
- Confusing 'carnival' (event) with 'carnivore' (animal eater).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'fair' often has commercial or agricultural elements (e.g., county fair, trade fair). A 'carnival' emphasizes celebration, entertainment, and revelry, and in the UK specifically refers to a travelling amusement show.
Capitalize when it's part of the official name of a specific event (e.g., the Notting Hill Carnival, Carnival in Rio). Use lowercase for general references (e.g., a street carnival).
The direct adjective is rare. 'Carnival' is often used attributively (e.g., carnival float, carnival spirit). The derived adjective 'carnivalesque' is used in more academic or descriptive contexts.
You can describe a chaotic, colourful, or unrestrained situation as 'a carnival of [something]', e.g., 'The stock market was a carnival of speculation.'
A public festival, typically involving processions, music, dancing, and colorful costumes.
Carnival is usually neutral in register.
Carnival: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːnɪv(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːrnɪv(ə)l/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A carnival of violence (a chaotic, unrestrained series of violent acts)”
- “It's not all carnival (not all fun and games)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a car driving through a lively, colourful festival – a CAR drives into the NIVAL (sounds like 'nival' from 'arrival'). A carnival arrives with fun.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A CARNIVAL (implying life is a colourful, chaotic, celebratory event).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'carnival' most likely used in British English?