carol English · revision 10425

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300|origins=fro carole}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkæɹəl/; /ˈkɛɹəl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|fro|carole|t=a round dance accompanied by singers]], of uncertain or unknown origin.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) It is perhaps an alteration of Latin choraula, one who accompanies a choral dance on the flute, or Medieval Latin choraula, a dance to the flute,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Greek [[m|grc|χοραύλης|tr=khoraúlēs]], from khorós, dance, chorus (see [[chorus]]), and aulós, a reed instrument.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A ring dance with song, or the merrymaking at which such dances were held: before 1300.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A song, originally the one danced to, is from 1303,^(OED 1989) and the verb, to dance in a ring, from about 1300, and to sing joyously from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) A ring of standing stones, as at Stonehenge, was a carol in 1330.^(OED 1989) A song or hymn of religious joy is from before 1547,^(OED 1989) and a hymn of joy at Christmas from 1502.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Going from house to house singing Christmas carols is from 1879, said to be a Victorian revival of an older custom.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – a ring dance.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1303 – a song.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1330 – a ring of stones.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1502 – a Christmas carol.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1879 – to go carolling.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A joyful song or hymn, especially one sung at [[Christmas]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(historical)'' A medieval round dance accompanied by singing.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To sing joyfully.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To go from house to house singing Christmas carols.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[caroler]]

+ * [[outcarol]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chorus]]

+ * [[hymn]]

+ * [[noel]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Carol, the personal name, is a different word: as a man's name from Medieval Latin Carolus, as a woman's name short for Caroline.^(Etymonline) In Durham dialect a carol was a small enclosed pew or closet.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}