A Carol was originally a folk song for dancing to, but is now usually seen as a variety of hymn, sung during a religious worship.
Today the carol is typified by the Christmas carol, and to a lesser extent by the Easter carol. The word carol is thought to have been derived from the French word caroller, a circle dance accompanied by singers (in turn derived from the Latin choraula).
History
The carol was very popular as a dance song from the 1150s to the 1350s, after which its use expanded as a processional song sung during festivals, while others were written to accompany religious mystery plays (such as the Coventry Carol, written in 1591).
Following the banning of religious festivities during the Protestant Reformation, when carol writing eventually resumed in the late 17th century the new carols generally resembled hymns, sung more frequently in churches than in ale houses, while non-religious carols were often given new Christian lyrics.
In modern times, songs that may once have been regarded as carols are now classified as songs (especially Christmas songs), even those that retain the attributes of a carol - celebrating a seasonal topic, alternating verses and chorus, and danceable music.
