Webster's English Dictionary

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carnival

car.ni.val \'ka:r-n*-v*l\ n [It carnevale, alter. of earlier carnelevare, 
   lit., removal of meat] often attrib , fr. carne flesh (fr. L carn-, caro) + 
   levare to remove fr. L, to raise 1: a season or festival of merrymaking 
   before Lent  2: a merrymaking, feasting, or masquerading  3a: a traveling 
   enterprise offering amusements  3b: an organized program of entertainment 
   or exhibition