Main Difference
The main difference between Fair and Carnival is that the Fair is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities and Carnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent.
Fair
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre), also known as a funfair, is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.
Carnival
Carnival (see other spellings and names) is a Western Christian and Greek Orthodox festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typically involves public celebrations, including events such as parades, public street parties and other entertainments, combining some elements of a circus. Elaborate costumes and masks allow people to set aside their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity. Participants often indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, meat, and other foods that will be forgone during upcoming Lent. Traditionally, butter, milk, and other animal products were not consumed “excessively”, rather, their stock was fully consumed as to reduce waste. Pancakes, donuts, and other desserts were prepared and eaten for a final time. During Lent, animal products are no longer eaten, and individuals have the ability to give up a certain object or activity of desire.
Other common features of carnival include mock battles such as food fights; expressions of social satire; mockery of authorities; costumes of the grotesque body that display exaggerated features such as large noses, bellies, mouths, phalli, or elements of animal bodies; abusive language and degrading acts; depictions of disease and gleeful death; and a general reversal of everyday rules and norms.The term Carnival is traditionally used in areas with a large Catholic presence, as well as in Greece. In historically Evangelical Lutheran countries, the celebration is known as Fastelavn, and in areas with a high concentration of Anglicans (Church of England/US Episcopal Church), Methodists, and other Protestants, pre-Lenten celebrations, along with penitential observances, occur on Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. In Slavic Eastern Orthodox nations, Maslenitsa is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. In German-speaking Europe and the Netherlands, the Carnival season traditionally opens on 11/11 (often at 11:11 am). This dates back to celebrations before the Advent season or with harvest celebrations of St. Martin’s Day.
Fair (adjective)
Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
“Monday’s child is fair of face.”
“There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.”
Fair (adjective)
Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.
“one’s fair name”
“After scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.”
Fair (adjective)
Light in color, pale, particularly as regards skin tone but also referring to blond hair.
“She had fair hair and blue eyes.”
Fair (adjective)
Just, equitable.
“He must be given a fair trial.”
Fair (adjective)
Adequate, reasonable, or decent.
“The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.”
Fair (adjective)
Favorable to a ship’s course.
Fair (adjective)
Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.
“a fair sky;”
“a fair day”
Fair (adjective)
Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.
“a fair mark;”
“in fair sight;”
“a fair view”
Fair (adjective)
Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.
Fair (adjective)
Between the baselines.
Fair (noun)
Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).
“When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?”
Fair (noun)
A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.
Fair (noun)
Fairness, beauty.
Fair (noun)
A fair woman; a sweetheart.
Fair (noun)
Good fortune; good luck.
Fair (noun)
A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.
Fair (noun)
An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.
Fair (noun)
An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.
Fair (noun)
A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).
Fair (verb)
To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).
Fair (verb)
To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).
Fair (verb)
To construct or design a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline or reduce air drag or water resistance.
Fair (verb)
To make fair or beautiful.
Fair (adverb)
clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably
Carnival (noun)
Any of a number of festivals held just before the beginning of Lent.
“Carnival of Brazil”
“Venice Carnival”
Carnival (noun)
A festive occasion marked by parades and sometimes special foods and other entertainment.
Carnival (noun)
A traveling amusement park, called a funfair in British English.
“We all got to ride the merry-go-round when they brought their carnival to town.”
“When the carnival came to town, every one wanted some cotton candy.”
Fair (adjective)
treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination
“the group has achieved fair and equal representation for all its members”
“a fairer distribution of wealth”
Fair (adjective)
just or appropriate in the circumstances
“to be fair, this subject poses special problems”
“it’s not fair to take it out on her”
Fair (adjective)
(of a means or procedure) not violent
“try first by fair means”
Fair (adjective)
(of hair or complexion) light; blonde
“a pretty girl with long fair hair”
Fair (adjective)
(of a person) having a light complexion or hair
“he’s very fair with blue eyes”
Fair (adjective)
considerable though not outstanding in size or amount
“he did a fair bit of coaching”
Fair (adjective)
moderately good
“he believes he has a fair chance of success”
Fair (adjective)
complete; utter
“this cow is a fair swine”
Fair (adjective)
(of weather) fine and dry
“a fair autumn day”
Fair (adjective)
(of the wind) favourable
“they set sail with a fair wind”
Fair (adjective)
beautiful
“the fairest of her daughters”
Fair (adjective)
(of words) specious despite being initially attractive
“the Sophists have plenty of brave words and fair devices”
Fair (adverb)
without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage
“no one could say he played fair”
Fair (adverb)
to a high degree
“she’ll be fair delighted to see you”
Fair (noun)
a beautiful woman
“pursuing his fair in a solitary street”
Fair (noun)
a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment
“I won a goldfish at the fair”
Fair (noun)
a periodic gathering for the sale of goods.
Fair (noun)
an exhibition to promote particular products
“the European Fine Art Fair”
Fair (noun)
an annual competitive exhibition of livestock, agricultural products, etc., held by a town, county, or state.
Fair (verb)
(of the weather) become fine
“looks like it’s fairing off some”
Fair (verb)
streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings
“it is fully faired and race ready”
Carnival (noun)
an annual festival, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade
“a carnival parade”
“Mardi Gras is the last day of carnival”
“the culmination of the week-long carnival”
Carnival (noun)
a public event or celebration, typically held outdoors and involving stalls, entertainment, and processions
“children from Wroughton are getting ready for the village carnival”
Carnival (noun)
an exciting or riotous mixture of elements
“the film is a visual and aural carnival”
Carnival (noun)
a travelling funfair or circus
“he worked at a carnival, climbing Ferris wheels and working 18-hour days”