carnaval
UK[ˈkɑːnəv(ə)l]US[ˈkɑːrnəˌvɑːl]
n
A public festival or celebration, typically held just before Lent, involving processions, music, dancing, and masquerade.
Etymology
The English word 'carnaval' is a direct borrowing from the Portuguese and Spanish 'carnaval', which itself derives from the Italian 'carnevale'. This Italian term is a contraction of the Medieval Latin phrase 'carne levare', meaning "to remove meat". The phrase directly references the practice of abstaining from meat during the Lenten period of fasting in the Christian calendar. Over time, the word shifted from describing the act of preparation (removing meat) to signify the festive period of feasting and celebration immediately preceding the austerity of Lent, a meaning it retains today.
Analysis
This word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into English.
Examples
The streets of Rio de Janeiro come alive with music and color during its famous Carnaval.
We attended a lively carnaval celebration with elaborate floats and costumes.
The city's annual carnaval is a major tourist attraction that boosts the local economy.