As carousels have evolved over time in many different places, they have created their own vocabulary. Here are some of the more common terms:

Abreast: An indication of size of a carousel is the number of animals in each row. Small portable carousels were often "2 abreast" having only 2 rows of animals. 3 abreast and 4 abreast machines indicated larger carousels with more rows of animals. A very few 5 abreast carousels were made.

Band Organ: Band Organs provide the special music associated with carousels. They are a self-playing pipe organ using a pinned cylinder, punched cardboard, or perforated paper rolls to play the notes. They often had drums, cymbals and glockenspeil bars as well as many organ pipes. Usually placed in the center of the carousel, they would have fancy carved and painted facades.

Brass Ring: The "ring machine" is an arm suspended just outside the carousel that allows riders on the outer most animals to reach out and "spear" a ring with their finger as they pass. The arm releases one ring each time. While most rings would be metal and later plastic, a few rings would be brass, and could be exchanged for a free ride! "Catch the Brass Ring" refers to this activity. Few carousels have this feature now.

Carousel: The most common of the many terms used to describe the classic amusement ride allowing people to ride carved wooden animals on a rotating platform. Other terms that have been used are Merry-go-round, roundabout, riding gallery, flying horses, and gallopers. The spelling of carousel has many options as well. Carousal, carrousel, carousell and several others have been used. There is no difference in the meaning of any of these terms.

Center Pole: The stationary central column that supports the entire carousel. Earlier center poles are wood with steel more commonly used for later carousels.

Chariot: Riding benches on the carousel were provided for those who did not want to ride on an animal. Most chariots have a carved facade facing outward and some were very elaborate and might be placed as to if drawn by the horses in front.

Eccentrics: Above the jumping horses, a steel shaft (eccentric) with offsets goes back to the center pole where a gear on the shaft rides in a stationary ring gear on the center pole. As the carousel turns, the gears turn the shaft and the jumping animals, suspended from the offsets, move up and down.

Jumper: This indicates a particular animal moves up and down as the carousel turns

Pony Hanger: This is the pole (pipe) that each jumping animal is mounted on and in tern, hangs from the eccentric, allowing it to move up and down. The pole is usually covered by a polished brass sleeve.

Machine: A generic term for a carousel. A "portable machine" indicated a smaller carousel designed to be easily moved. A "park machine" indicates a larger carousel designed to be left in one location. (Amusement or other park)

Menagerie: This is a term to describe carousel animals other than a horses. A "menagerie machine" would indicate at least some of the animals were not horses.

Merry-go-round: See Carousel

Mud Sills: Large wooden beams forming a cross under the center pole. These beams, along with large diagonal braces support the center pole and bare the entire weight of the carousel and its riders.

Stander: This indicates that the animal has two or more legs on the carousel floor and does not move up and down.

Roundabout: See Carousel

Rounding Boards: The outermost scenery panels, located above the outside of the floor. Often adorned with carvings, mirrors, paintings and lights, these panels are curved to give the carousel its round appearance. Carousels that were designed to fit into buildings often did not have rounding boards.

Sweep: Radial wood beams that come outward from the center pole above the animals. These beams are supported by rods to the upper part of the center pole. The floor, animals, lights, scenery and rounding boards are all supported from these beams. An indication of the size of the carousel is the number of sweeps. Typical numbers are from 16 to 20 sweeps

Trappings: Few carousel animals are plain. The carvers adorned them with fancy saddles, jewels, tassels, and any number of other special carved additions called trappings. The trappings would set the theme for any particular animal and were most elaborate on the outside row of animals and the side of the animals facing outward.

Trolley Park: A large number of the early amusement parks were built by the street car and trolley companies. Called trolley parks, they were often located at the end of one of their lines. This was a way to encourage evening and weekend business. Early advertisements for carousel manufacturers were common in the street car trade magazines.