Mardi Gras
noun
Mar·di Gras
ˈmär-dē-ˌgrä 
in New Orleans commonly -ˌgrȯ
1
a
: Shrove Tuesday often observed (as in New Orleans) with parades and festivities
b
: a carnival period climaxing on Shrove Tuesday
2
: a festive occasion resembling a pre-Lenten Mardi Gras
Examples of Mardi Gras in a Sentence
We're going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
It was a Mardi Gras to remember!
Recent Examples on the Web
Cultural and historic references abound, from the presence of multiple styles of unique cultural music such as Zydeco, Rara and Afro-Cuban jazz to the culinary influences of Leah Chase to the historical diversity of Mardi Gras.
—
Bethanee Bemis, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 June 2024
Kaser, 25, is hunched over a laptop in the corner now, dressed in all black with bookish glasses and a necklace strung with what resemble Mardi Gras beads.
—Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2024
Port Canaveral was the first port in North America to provide LNG power to cruise ships when Carnival’s Mardi Gras debuted in 2021.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2024
The final two tours are set for Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, and will take visitors around the neighborhood to the Hudson River piers and local social spots — Mineshaft, Lee’s Mardi Gras Boutique — that have fostered the community.
—Kristen Tauer, WWD, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for Mardi Gras 
Bethanee Bemis, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 June 2024
Kaser, 25, is hunched over a laptop in the corner now, dressed in all black with bookish glasses and a necklace strung with what resemble Mardi Gras beads.
—Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2024
Port Canaveral was the first port in North America to provide LNG power to cruise ships when Carnival’s Mardi Gras debuted in 2021.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2024
The final two tours are set for Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, and will take visitors around the neighborhood to the Hudson River piers and local social spots — Mineshaft, Lee’s Mardi Gras Boutique — that have fostered the community.
—Kristen Tauer, WWD, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for Mardi Gras
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Dictionary Entries Near Mardi Gras
Cite this Entry
“Mardi Gras.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mardi%20Gras. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Mardi Gras
noun
Mar·di Gras
ˈmärd-ē-ˌgrä
: the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday often observed with parades and merrymaking
Etymology
French, literally "fat Tuesday"
Word Origin
The Christian period of fasting known as Lent begins every year on Ash Wednesday. The day before Lent begins is a time of celebration and feasting in many places. One of the original reasons for such feasting was probably to use up the last supplies of foods, such as meat and fat, which were not eaten during Lent. The eating of such foods may be why the day became known in France as Mardi Gras, which means "fat Tuesday." It is also possible that the name comes from a former custom of parading a fattened ox through Paris on this day.
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