# carnival

/ˈkɑɹnəvəɫ/ (US) · /kˈɑːnɪvəl/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. public festival

noun · CEFR B1

a public event with music, dancing, and people wearing colorful costumes in the streets.

For teachers: a festive public occasion characterized by parades, music, and street performances, often involving elaborate costumes.

- The city holds a huge carnival every summer with dancers and loud music.
- The annual carnival transformed the quiet coastal town into a vibrant display of local culture and artistic expression.

### 2. pre-Lenten season

noun · CEFR B2

the period of celebration and parties that happens just before the Christian season of Lent.

For teachers: the season of merrymaking and feasting that immediately precedes the Christian period of Lent.

- Many people travel to Rio de Janeiro to experience Carnival in February.
- Historically, Carnival served as a final period of indulgence before the strict dietary and social restrictions of the Lenten fast began.

### 3. traveling fair

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

a traveling show with rides like carousels, games to win prizes, and snack food.

For teachers: a traveling amusement show featuring mechanical rides, games of chance, and refreshment stalls.

- The kids were excited when the carnival set up its rides in the park.
- The local carnival offered a variety of attractions, ranging from vintage wooden carousels to modern high-speed thrill rides.

Usage: Commonly referred to as a 'funfair' in British English.

### 4. social subversion

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a situation where the normal rules of society are ignored or turned upside down for a short time.

For teachers: a context in which social hierarchies and norms are temporarily suspended or inverted, often for satirical purposes.

- The party felt like a carnival where the students acted like teachers and the teachers like students.
- Bakhtin argued that the medieval carnival provided a necessary outlet for the lower classes to mock the ruling authorities without fear of punishment.

Teaching tip: This sense is primarily used in literary criticism and sociology, often referencing Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of the 'carnivalesque'.

### 5. chaotic situation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a place or event that is very noisy, colorful, and disorganized.

For teachers: a gaudily chaotic or riotous situation characterized by a lack of order and high sensory input.

- The department store was a total carnival during the holiday sales.
- The press conference quickly devolved into a carnival as reporters shouted over one another to get the candidate's attention.

## Examples

- The city streets are full of dancers during Carnival.
- Local schools spend months preparing elaborate costumes and dance routines for the annual Carnival parade.
- Sociologists often analyze Carnival as a period of ritual inversion, where social hierarchies are temporarily suspended through the use of masks and satirical performances.

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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.