red carpet

noun

1. a red strip of carpet placed on the ground for high-ranking dignitaries to walk on when entering or leaving a building, vehicle, or the like.
2. 1. an area abutting the entrance to a building, usually carpeted in red, where celebrities gather and walk before participating in or taking their seats at a big event:

      The winning actress had of course been interviewed on the red carpet before the Academy Awards.

   2. the activity that goes on in this area:

      Six reporters will be covering the red carpet at the charity's annual gala.

3. a display of courtesy or deference, as that shown to persons of high station:

   The visiting prince was treated to the red carpet in Rome.

red carpet

noun

1. a strip of red carpeting laid for important dignitaries to walk on when arriving or departing
2. 1. deferential treatment accorded to a person of importance
   2. ( as modifier )

      the returning hero had a red-carpet reception

Other Words From

• red-carpet adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of red carpet¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Idioms and Phrases

Honorary treatment, lavish hospitality, as in We'll have to get out the red carpet for the President's visit . This term comes from the literal practice of rolling out a carpet to welcome a royal or other esteemed guest, and indeed is often put as roll out the red carpet . [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

The actors announced their engagement Sunday on the Ebony Power 100 Gala red carpet, bringing their romance back to where they said they first struck up a connection.

From Los Angeles Times

But there were plenty of other stars at the show and on the red carpet.

From BBC

Palm Beach didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump when he first arrived on the scene with his purchase of Mar-a-Lago in the 1980s.

From BBC

One could argue that his evolution officially began in 2018, when he and Grimes made their debut as a couple on the Met Gala red carpet.

From Salon

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader and a friend of Trump, said the president-elect was a "genuine friend of the United Kingdom" and urged the prime minister to "roll out the red carpet" for him.

From BBC

Related Words

• welcome mat