Plural of carousel; rotating machines with decorative animals or seats that spin around, commonly found at amusement parks and fairs.
From Italian 'carosello' or French 'carrousel,' originally meaning a cavalry exercise or tournament. The term was borrowed for the spinning machine because it resembled the circular motion of the military exercise.
The carousel wasn't originally a children's ride—it was named after a fancy European military training exercise where knights rode in circles! The spinning amusement machine got the name because it mimicked that same circular pattern.
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