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carol

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(kar′əl)

noun

Obsolete a kind of circle dance
a song of joy or praise; esp., a Christmas song

Origin: ME carole < OFr, kind of dance, Christmas song < ML choraula, a dance to the flute < L choraules < Gr choraulēs, flute player who accompanied the choral dance < choros, chorus + aulein, to play the flute < aulos, flute

intransitive verb caroled or carolled, caroling or carolling

to sing, esp. in joy; warble
to sing carols, esp. Christmas carols, in chorus with others

transitive verb

to sing (a tune, etc.)
to praise in song

Related Forms:

caroler noun or caroller

noun

a feminine name
Origin: ML Carolus: see Charles
a masculine name

See carol in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas.
An old round dance often accompanied by singing.

verb car·oled also car·olled, car·ol·ing also car·ol·ling, car·ols also car·ols

verb, intransitive

To sing in a loud, joyous manner.
To go from house to house singing Christmas songs.

verb, transitive

To celebrate in or as if in song: caroling the victory.
To sing loudly and joyously.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English carole, round dance with singing

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , probably from Late Latin choraula, choral song

Origin: , from Latin choraulēs, accompanist

Origin: , from Greek khoraulēs

Origin: : khoros, choral dance; see gher-¹ in Indo-European roots

Origin: + aulos, flute

Related Forms:

carˈol·er, carˈol·ler noun

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