mardi gras

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See also: Mardi Gras

English

Proper noun

mardi gras

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Mardi Gras

French

FWOTD – 13 February 2018

Etymology

Literally, “fat Tuesday”.

Pronunciation

  • (France) IPA(key): /maʁ.di ɡʁa/ ~ /maʁ.di ɡʁɑ/
  • (Quebec) IPA(key): /mɔʁd͡zi ɡʁɔ/, /mɑʁd͡zi ɡʁɑ/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

mardi gras m (countable and uncountable, plural mardi gras)

  1. (usually uncountable) Shrove Tuesday: the day when traditionally all fat and meat in the house were finished up, before Christians were banned from eating them during Lent, which commenced the following day on mercredi des cendres
    • 1697, Chevalier de Mailly, Histoire de la republique de Genes, Comprénant tout ce qui s'est passé depuis 1436 jusqu'en 1624 [History of the Republic of Genoa, Comprising everything that happened from 1436 up to 1624], volume 2, Holland, page 232:
      Lorsqu’il se vit à la tête d’une puissante armée, il laissa les François dans les Landes, & passant la montagne sur la fin du carnival de l’année 1566. il alla camper à Balagna le mardi gras: […]
      When he found himself at the head of a powerful army, he left the French in Landes, and crossing the mountain at the end of Carnival of the year 1566, he set camp in Balagna at Shrove Tuesday:
    • 2004, Ilana Zinguer, Myriam Yardeni, Les Deux Reformes Chretiennes: Propagation Et Diffusion Propagation Et Diffusion, Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, →ISBN, page 246:
      Dans le monde à l’envers du Mardi Gras 1511 le prince est donc un homme démuni de charisme et d’autorité, un leader peureux et confus, le pape est un imposteur colérique et blasphémateur.
      In the upside-down world of Shrove Tuesday 1511, the prince is therefore a man diminished in charisma and authority, a fearful and confused leader, the pope is an angry imposter and blasphemer.
  2. (usually uncountable) Mardi Gras: the last day of a carnival, traditionally the celebration immediately before the start of Lent when joy could be out of place for Christians
    • 1582 Lambert Daneau, Traité contre les Bacchanales ou Mardi-gras, title listed in Jean Baptiste Louis Osmont, Dictionnaire typographique, historique et critique des livres rares ... et recherchés: Tome 1-2, Chez Lacombe, libraire, Quai de Conti (1768), p. 221.
    • 1997, Albert Cassagne, Daniel Oster, quoting E. and J. de Goncourt, La théorie de l'art pour l'art, Editions Champ Vallon, →ISBN, page 110:
      Elle a été empoisonnée comme une danseuse de Mardi Gras, emmenée à la Préfecture, immatriculée, soumise à l’autorisation et aux inspections de salubrité.
      She was poisoned as a Mardi Gras dancer, brought to the Prefecture, registered, subject to authorization and health inspections.
    • 2000, (France), Émile Biémont, Rythmes du temps: astronomie et calendriers, De Boeck Université, →ISBN, page 109:
      Les Gilles, richement costumé, défilant le jour du mardi gras dans les rues de la ville.
      The Gilles, richly costumed, marching on the day of the Mardi Gras in the city streets.
  3. (countable) a person dressed up in a ridiculous disguise
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