Carnation Revolution

proper noun

A revolution and military coup by left-leaning military officers that overthrew the colonialist and authoritarian Estado Novo on 25 April 1974 in Lisbon, Portugal, leading to major cultural and political changes.

OriginPortuguese Revolução dos Cravos →
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Meanings

proper nounthe Carnation Revolution
  1. historicalA revolution and military coup by left-leaning military officers that overthrew the colonialist and authoritarian Estado Novo on 25 April 1974 in Lisbon, Portugal, leading to major cultural and political changes.

Origin

  1. PortugueseRevolução dos Cravos
  2. EnglishCarnation Revolution

Calque of Portuguese Revolução dos Cravos. So named because a woman who had carnations handed them out to soldiers in the early hours of the coup, and they were placed in gun barrels and became a symbol of the peacefulness of the coup.

More words from Portuguese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 康乃馨革命
  • 康乃馨革命 (Kāngnǎixīn Gémìng)Portuguese revolution
French Révolution des Œillets
  • Révolution des ŒilletsPortuguese revolution
German Nelkenrevolution
  • NelkenrevolutionPortuguese revolution
Portuguese Revolução dos Cravos
  • Revolução dos CravosPortuguese revolution
Spanish Revolución de los Claveles
  • Revolución de los ClavelesPortuguese revolution
Cite this entry
APA

Carnation Revolution. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Carnation%20Revolution

MLA

“Carnation Revolution.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Carnation%20Revolution. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Carnation Revolution,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Carnation%20Revolution.

Source: Carnation Revolution on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.