carol — A religious song, especially one associated with Christmas
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A religious song, especially one associated with Christmas
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkærəl/
Example Sentences
- My neighbor's off-key caroling sounds like a dying walrus, but at least it's festive!
- The church choir will perform ancient carols during the Christmas service.
- She practiced the carol so much that even her cat started meowing along to 'Silent Night'.
carol
NOUN[/ˈkærəl/]
A religious song, especially one associated with Christmas
Children happily sang Christmas carols around the tree.
The neighborhood gathered to sing carols on Christmas Eve.
The Christmas carol became a joyful choral performance at the winter festival.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old French 'carole' (13th century), which originally referred to a ring dance performed in a circle. Over time, the meaning evolved to encompass songs sung alongside dancing, and eventually developed into its modern sense of religious hymns and festive songs.
Breakdown
Old French 'carole' (ring dance) → Middle English 'carol'. The root likely comes from Medieval Latin 'choraula' or Greek 'choreia' (dance in a circle), ultimately related to 'choros' (circle or chorus).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My neighbor's off-key caroling sounds like a dying walrus, but at least it's festive!”
“The church choir will perform ancient carols during the Christmas service.”
“She practiced the carol so much that even her cat started meowing along to 'Silent Night'.”
“The school children will carol at the local shopping mall this weekend.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.