/'kɑ:nɪvl; `kɑrnəvl/
n
(a) [C, U] (period of) public festivities and merry-making occurring at a regular time of year, eg in Roman Catholic countries during the week before Lent 狂欢节; 嘉年华会（天主教国家大斋期前一周内的狂欢）
*[attrib 作定语] a carnival atmosphere 狂欢节的气氛.
(b) [C] festival of this kind, usu with a procession 狂欢节（通常有游行活动）
*a street carnival 街道上的狂欢节景象.

n
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian;Origin: carnevale, from carne 'meat' ( CARNATION) + levare 'to remove'; because after Carnival people stopped eating meat for a period]
[U and C]
a public event at which people play music, wear special clothes, and dance in the streets
　preparations for this year's carnival
　when it's Carnival in Rio
　a carnival atmosphere throughout the town
[C]AmE
a noisy outdoor event at which you can ride on special machines and play games for prizes
British Equivalent: funfair
[C]AmE
an event at a school, in which students play games for prizes
carnival of sth
literary an exciting mixture of things
　Shakespeare's carnival of images