[car.ni.val] n [It carnevale, alter. of earlier carnelevare, lit., removal of meat, fr. carne flesh (fr. L carn-, caro) + levare to remove, fr. L, to raise] (1549) 1: a season or festival of merrymaking before Lent
2. a: an instance of merrymaking, feasting, or masquerading b: an instance of riotous excess "a ~ of violence" 3 a: a traveling enterprise offering amusements b: an organized program of entertainment or exhibition: festival "a winter ~"