nounmasculinepl: carnivals / carnavais
carnaval
1. A festive season of celebration and merrymaking, typically involving colorful costumes, parades, music, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent
The carnival in Rio de Janeiro attracts millions of visitors every year.
O carnaval do Rio de Janeiro atrai milhões de visitantes todos os anos.
2. A traveling entertainment consisting of rides, sideshows, games, and other amusements
The children enjoyed the carnival with its spinning rides and cotton candy stands.
As crianças aproveitaram o carnaval com seus brinquedos giratórios e barracas de algodão-doce.
3. A period of unrestrained revelry or wild behavior
The office party turned into a carnival of laughter and dancing.
A festa do escritório virou um carnaval de gargalhadas e dança.
Carnival (Carnaval) is the most iconic celebration in Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro, featuring samba schools competing with elaborate floats, costumes, and dancers. It represents a blend of African, Portuguese, and indigenous Brazilian cultures. In the USA, carnival often refers to traveling fairs and amusement parks, while in Brazil it specifically denotes the pre-Lenten festival tied to Catholic traditions but infused with vibrant African-Brazilian culture and modern entertainment.
NYC Slang
party / bash / blowout (informal equivalents for the celebration aspect)
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