MARDI GRAS Definition & Meaning

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Mardi Gras

[mahr-dee grah]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the day before Lent, celebrated in some cities, such as New Orleans and Paris, as a day of revelry and merrymaking.
a pre-Lenten carnival period climaxing on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras

/ ˈmɑːdɪ ˈɡrɑː /

noun

the festival of Shrove Tuesday, celebrated in some cities with great revelry

Mardi Gras

An annual festival held in France on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” — meaning it is the last opportunity to eat rich food before the fast of Lent begins. It is related to celebrations elsewhere, called “carnivals,” from the Latin words carne and vale, “meat” and “farewell,” meaning a farewell to meat before the abstinence of Lent.

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New Orleans, Louisiana, is famous for its Mardi Gras celebration, as is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of Mardi Gras¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; from French: literally, “fat Tuesday”; mardi “Tuesday,” Old French marsdi, from Latin diēs Mārtis, Mārtis diēs “day of Mars” ( dismal ( def. ), martial ( def. ) ); gras “fat,” from Latin grassus “fat, thick”

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of Mardi Gras¹

French: fat Tuesday

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Capitol festivities that day, and tweeted through it as if it were Mardi Gras, I guess that was the least he could do.

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At the time of the shooting, the park was hosting a four-day event for Volkswagen enthusiasts called “Air Cooled Mardi Gras Picnic Weekend.”

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After the crowd had already breached the building and was engaged in a violent battle with police, Martin tweeted: "Like Mardi Gras in DC today: love, faith and joy."

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He then compared the gathering of "love, faith and joy" to Mardi Gras — shortly after rioters breached the building and Ashli Babbitt was shot.

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"We all knew it could happen at some point. Maybe at Mardi Gras. Maybe the Superbowl," Mr Albert said.

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When To Use

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is the last day before Lent—the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is sometimes called Fat Tuesday, which is what its name means in French.The term Mardi Gras also refers to the festival that takes place on this day and in the days (or even weeks) leading up to it. This festival is especially associated with the U.S. city of New Orleans, where it is prominently celebrated. In other places, this festival is called Carnival.Lent is the season of fasting and penitence that precedes Easter in some branches of Christianity. Mardi Gras is part of a tradition of indulging before the Lenten fast, but it is not a Christian holiday.

Mar del Plata Marduk

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