From the Latin noun caro, carnis (stem carn), meaning “flesh, meat,” a carnival was originally a festival celebrated just before Lent, the period leading up to Easter in which many Christians commit to eating no meat. The animals we call carnivores (meat-eaters), chili con carne ("with meat"), and carnal (“fleshly” as opposed to spiritual) also come from this word.
Saturday, October 14, 2023