carnaval
carnival
noun kar-nah-VAL Rare
Origin: Italian carnevale (farewell to meat)
Usage Note
carnaval refers to the festive season before Lent, most famously celebrated in Nice and Dunkirk in France; the plural is carnavals (not carnavaux). The Nice Carnival (Carnaval de Nice) is one of the largest in Europe.
Examples
"Le carnaval de Nice est très célèbre."
Natural Translation
The Nice Carnival is very famous.

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