# Carney

/ˈkɑɹni/ (US) · /kˈɑːni/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/carney
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a person who works at a traveling fair or carnival. You use this word to describe someone who moves from town to town setting up rides or games.

For teachers: a person employed by a carnival or traveling fair, typically involved in operating rides, games, or sideshows. Often carries a connotation of a transient or outsider lifestyle.

## Examples

- The carney showed us how to win the giant teddy bear.
- After the fair closed for the night, the carneys gathered around a small fire to share stories of previous summers.
- Growing up as a carney meant a life of constant motion, where the rhythm of the seasons was dictated by the opening and closing of county fairs across the Midwest.

## Usage notes

- Informal in register; sometimes used pejoratively to imply someone is untrustworthy or transient.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.