NYT Dictionary
CARNIVAL
/ˈkɑɹnɪvəl/NounVerbCAR-ni-valcar-ni-val · 3 syllablesGrade 9
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018
Meaning
Any of a number of festivals held just before the beginning of Lent.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
From Middle French carnaval, from Italian carnevale, possibly from the Latin phrase carnem levāmen (“meat dismissal”). Other scholars suggest Latin carnuālia (“meat-based country feast”) or carrus nāvālis (“boat wagon; float”) instead. Doublet of carnaval.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2018.