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
The beads are increasingly viewed as a problem, but a Mardi Gras without beads also seems unfathomable.
—
Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
Mardi Gras celebrations mark the final days before the start of Lent, a season observed by many Christian congregations as a time of reflection and preparation for Easter.
—Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
Some of the fiercest storms in the South were reported near Lake Charles, Louisiana, where high winds from a thunderstorm overturned a horse trailer and a Mardi Gras float, damaged an airport jet bridge and flung the metal awning from a house into power lines.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
One of the richest Southern holidays is Mardi Gras, the massive festival made famous by New Orleans.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
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Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
Mardi Gras celebrations mark the final days before the start of Lent, a season observed by many Christian congregations as a time of reflection and preparation for Easter.
—Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
Some of the fiercest storms in the South were reported near Lake Charles, Louisiana, where high winds from a thunderstorm overturned a horse trailer and a Mardi Gras float, damaged an airport jet bridge and flung the metal awning from a house into power lines.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
One of the richest Southern holidays is Mardi Gras, the massive festival made famous by New Orleans.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for Mardi Gras
Cite this Entry
“Mardi Gras.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mardi%20Gras. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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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