carnival

As proper nouns the difference between lent and carnival

is that lent is period of penitence for Christians before Easter while Carnival is the season just before the beginning of the Roman Catholic season of Lent, when New Orleans has its Mardi Gras carnival.

As a verb lent

is past tense of lend.

As a noun carnival is

a festive occasion marked by parades and sometimes special foods and other entertainment.

As a noun carnival

is a festive occasion marked by parades and sometimes special foods and other entertainment.

As a proper noun Carnival

is the season just before the beginning of the Roman Catholic season of Lent, when New Orleans has its Mardi Gras carnival.

As an adjective noncarnival is

not of or pertaining to a carnival.