carnival etymology

Etymology and Origin of "Carnival"

The word "carnival" has its roots in the Latin phrases "carne levare" and "carnem levare," which mean "to remove meat."

  • Carne: Latin for "meat"
  • Levare: Latin for "to lift up" or "to remove"

Meaning of "Carnival"

Carnival refers to a festive period before Lent, a season of religious observance in the Christian calendar. During Lent, Christians traditionally abstain from eating meat and engage in fasting and penitence. Carnival, therefore, served as a time of celebration and indulgence before the restrictions of Lent began.

Historical Origins

The tradition of Carnival dates back to ancient pagan festivals held in honor of various gods. These festivals were typically characterized by revelry, feasting, and the wearing of masks.

In the Middle Ages, Carnival became associated with Christian traditions and was officially recognized as a period of festivity prior to Lent. It was a time when people could relax, enjoy themselves, and indulge in activities that would otherwise be forbidden during Lent.

Over time, Carnival celebrations evolved to include a wide range of activities, including parades, costumes, music, dancing, and culinary specialties. Each region developed its own unique Carnival traditions and customs, making it a vibrant and diverse festival around the world.

carnival relate terms

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  • carnival

    Etymology and Origin of Carnival The word carnival has its roots in the Latin phrases

  • alleviate

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  • alleviation

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  • alto rilievo

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  • carnival

    Etymology and Origin of Carnival The word carnival has its roots in the Latin phrases

  • elevate

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  • elevation

    Etymology Late Middle English in the sense height or altitude above sea level

  • elevator

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  • leaven

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  • legerdemain

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  • leprechaun

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  • Levant

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  • levator

    Etymology Latin lēvāre to raise lift up tōr suffix forming agent nouns Me

  • levee

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  • lever

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  • levity

    Etymology Latin levitas lightness fickleness frivolity PIE root leghu ligh

  • levy

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  • light

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  • lighter

    Etymology From Middle English lighter from Old English lihtre comparative of leoht

  • lung

    Etymology Origin Middle English lunge from Old French longe from Late Latin lum

  • relevance

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  • relevant

    Etymology The term relevant originates from the Latin word relevare which means to

  • releve

    Etymology From French relever meaning to raise lift up Ultimately derived from La

  • relief

    Etymology Latin relevare meaning to lighten ease lift Ancient Greek analeipsis

  • relieve

    Etymology Old French relever Latin relevare re back or again levare to lif

  • bias

    Etymology Origin Middle English bias from Old French bias from Late Latin biāc

  • carnage

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  • carnival

    Etymology and Origin of Carnival The word carnival has its roots in the Latin phrases

  • carnivorous

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  • carrion

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  • cenacle

    Etymology and Meaning Origin Latin coenaculum meaning dining room or upper room M

  • charcuterie

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  • charnel

    Etymology Middle English charnel from Anglo Norman French charnel from Medieval Lati

  • corium

    Etymology Latin corium Proto Italic koriom Proto Indo European kóryom Mea

  • cortex

    Etymology From Greek korteks meaning bark husk rind Ultimately derived from Prot

  • crone

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  • cuirass

    Etymology Cuirass derives from the Old French cuirasse which in turn comes from the

  • currier

    Etymology Currier comes from the Middle English word coriur which is derived from t

  • curt

    Etymology Curt is derived from the Middle English word cort which in turn comes from

  • decorticate

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  • excoriate

    Etymology Ex Latin out of from or away Cortex Latin bark skin or hard out

  • incarnadine

    Etymology Early 16th century from Late Latin incarnādīnus from incarnātus made f

  • incarnate

    Etymology From Middle English incarnat from Old French incarner from Latin incarnātu

  • incarnation

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  • kirtle

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  • scabbard

    Etymology The word scabbard comes from the Middle English word scaberd which is der

  • scar

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  • scaramouche

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  • scarf

    Etymology The word scarf comes from the Old French word escharpe which itself is de

  • scarp

    Etymology The word scarp comes from the Old Italian word scarpa meaning slope st

  • score

    Etymology Old English scoru notch on a stick Proto Germanic skurraz to scratch M

  • scrabble

    Etymology English Scrabble Origin Late 1930s coined by Alfred Mosher Butts based on

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    Etymology The word scrap has several possible etymologies Old Dutch scrapen mean

  • scrape

    Etymology From Middle English scrapen altered from Old English screpan from Proto Ger

  • screen

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  • screw

    Etymology The word screw is derived from the Old French word escroue which in turn c

  • scrimmage

    Etymology The word scrimmage comes from the Middle English word scrimen which is it

  • scrofula

    Etymology French Écrouelles Medieval Latin Strumae scrofularum Latin Scrofulae Anci

  • scrub

    Etymology The word scrub has multiple origins Middle English scrobbe meaning thi

  • scurf

    Etymology Middle English scurf from Anglo Saxon sceorfa of unknown origin Meaning

  • shard

    Etymology The word shard comes from the Middle English word schard which in turn or

  • share

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the history of words their origins and how th

  • share

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the history of words their origins and how th

  • sharp

    Etymology Sharp originates from the Old English word scearp meaning cutting or point

  • shear

    Etymology The word shear comes from the Old English word scieran which means to cu

  • shears

    Etymology The word shears derives from the Middle English word sceres which in turn

  • sheer

    Etymology The word sheer has its origins in the Old English word scīr meaning pure

  • shirt

    Etymology The word shirt comes from the Old English word sċyrte which referred to

  • shore

    Etymology The word shore comes from the Middle English word schore which in turn is

  • short

    Etymology Etymology noun comes from the Greek words étymos true and logos wo

  • shrub

    Etymology The word shrub originates from the Middle English word scrob which in tur

  • skerry

    Etymology The word skerry is derived from the Old Norse word skjer or skjær mean

  • skirmish

    Etymology and Origin The word skirmish originates from the Middle French word escarmou

  • skirt

    Etymology Old English scyrte from Proto Germanic skurta short Cognate with Ol

  • fair

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  • circus

    Etymology The word circus derives from the Latin word circus which means ring or

  • geek

    Etymology The word geek is thought to have originated from the Middle Dutch word geck

  • confetti

    Etymology Confetti is derived from the Italian word confetto meaning a small sweet or

  • rinky dink

    Etymology The term rinky dink is believed to have originated in the United States durin

  • shill

    Etymology The word shill is ultimately derived from the Yiddish word shidler meanin

  • disturbance

    Etymology French disturbance from Old French disturbanche Latin disturbatio from distu

  • show

    Etymology Word etymology Origin Greek Meaning true sense of a word Breakdown et

  • midway

    Etymology Mid Middle or central point Way A path or route Meaning A point or pla

  • festival

    Etymology and Meaning of Festival The word festival originates from two Latin words