Home › Words › C › carnavalcarnaval/kɑɹnəˈvɑl/carnaval means one of various large carnivals held before the beginning of Lent, especially in Latin America.carnaval is pronounced /kɑɹnəˈvɑl/.EtymologyFrom Spanish carnaval, Portuguese carnaval. Doublet of carnival.nounOne of various large carnivals held before the beginning of Lent, especially in Latin America.Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.precarnival 71% match — Before a carnival. vs carnaval →carnivalistic 68% match — Of or relating to carnival. vs carnaval →carnivalic 68% match — Resembling or characteristic of a carnival. vs carnaval →carnivallike 68% match — Like a carnival; festive. vs carnaval →carnivalesque 67% match — Resembling or characteristic of a carnival. vs carnaval →carnivalization 60% match — The process of carnivalizing. vs carnaval →bloco 59% match — A type of Brazilian street carnival featuring traditional Brazilian music and dance such as samba and frevo, often with hundreds of thousands to millions of people in attendance. vs carnaval →comparsa 58% match — A group of singers, musicians and dancers in a carnival or other festivity in Spain or Latin America. vs carnaval →