carnival: Meaning and Definition of
car•ni•val
Pronunciation: (kär'nu-vul), [key]
— n.
- a traveling amusement show, having sideshows, rides, etc.
- any merrymaking, revelry, or festival, as a program of sports or entertainment: a winter carnival.
- the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking; Shrovetide.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.