carollers

noun

1. a song, especially of joy.
2. a Christmas song or hymn.
3. a seat in a bay window or oriel.
4. a compartment in a cloister, similar to a carrel.
5. a kind of circular dance.

verb (used without object), car·oled, car·ol·ing or (especially British) car·olled, car·ol·ling.

6. to sing Christmas songs or hymns, especially in a group performing in a public place or going from house to house.
7. to sing, especially in a lively, joyous manner; warble.

verb (used with object), car·oled, car·ol·ing or (especially British) car·olled, car·ol·ling.

8. to sing joyously.
9. to praise or celebrate in song.

noun

1. a joyful hymn or religious song, esp one (a Christmas carol) celebrating the birth of Christ
2. archaic an old English circular dance

verb -ols, -olling or -olled or US -ols, -oling or -oled

3. (intr) to sing carols at Christmas
4. to sing (something) in a joyful manner

masc. proper name, from Medieval Latin Carolus (see Charles). As a fem. proper name, an abbreviation of Caroline. The masc. name never has been popular in U.S.; the fem. form was common after c.1900 and was a top-10 name for U.S. girls born 1936-1950.

v.

c.1300, “to dance in a ring,” from Old French caroler, from carole (see carol (n.)). As “to sing” from late 14c. Related: Caroled; caroling.

n.

c.1300, “joyful song,” also “dance in a ring,” from Old French carole “kind of dance in a ring, round dance accompanied by singers,” perhaps from Medieval Latin choraula “a dance to the flute,” from Latin choraules “flute-player,” from Greek khoraules “flute player who accompanies the choral dance,” from khoros “chorus” (see chorus) + aulein “to play the flute,” from aulos “reed instrument” (see alveolus). The meaning “Christmas hymn of joy” is attested from c.1500.