Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

carousal

/kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.15 in modern English

Syllables: car-ous-al
IPA: /kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/

10

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The state of carousing; (drunken) revelry; (countable) an instance of this; a noisy social gathering, often with much alcohol consumption.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"—The ſun vvas ſet—they had done their vvork; the nymphs had tied up their hair afreſh—and the ſvvains vvere preparing for a carouſal— […]"
"Drawing near, / Loud from the chambers of the bridge below, / Sounds of carousal came and song, / And unveiled women bade the advancing youth / Come merry-make with them."
"He mingled with the Magnates of his land; / Join'd the carousals of the great and gay, […]"
"When Alcohol usurps the throne, and Sober Rationality is ejected, every other consideration is lost; that of having a regular 'spree' alone prevails:—the excited passions proclaim for a grand carousal."
"The earth-spirit of Tema, who loved carousals, heard from afar the songs and laughter of the people on Nassau."

Etymology

From carouse (“to engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering”, verb) + -al (suffix forming nouns denoting actions by verbs to which it is attached), possibly also influenced by an erroneous understanding of the meaning of carousel (“merry-go-round”).

Word Breakdown

Prefix: carouse
Root: *h₂er-
Suffix: -al

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/
British English: /kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

carousals (plural)

Synonyms

carouse carousing spree revel bender toot booze-up

Rhymes With

arousal spousal mousehole espousal tousle housel

Questions

How do you pronounce carousal?: The recorded pronunciation is /kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/.
What does carousal mean?: The state of carousing; (drunken) revelry; (countable) an instance of this; a noisy social gathering, often with much alcohol consumption.
Where does carousal come from?: From carouse (“to engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering”, verb) + -al (suffix forming nouns denoting actions by verbs to which it is attached), possibly also influenced by an erroneous understanding of the meaning of carousel (“merry-go-round”).

How to pronounce carousal

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “carousal”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kəˈɹaʊz(ə)l/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “carousal”.
Repeat and practice — Say “carousal” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.