Forms: 6 kirkemesse, 7 carmas, kermas, kirmish, 7– kermis, 8 kearmas, 9 kermess(e, kirmess(e. [a. Du. kermis (earlier ker-, kirmisse:—orig. kerk-, kirkmisse), f. kirk KIRK + mis MASS: cf. MHG. kirmesse, G. kirmes, kirms (also kirchmesse), OFris. tserkmisse, ON. kirkjumessa (Norw. † kjörmes, -messe); F. kermesse; orig. the mass or service on the anniversary of the dedication of a church, on which also was held a yearly fair or festival. (Cf. St. Giles’s Fair in Oxford.)] In the Low Countries, parts of Germany, etc.: A periodical (properly, annual) fair or carnival, characterized by much noisy merry-making. Also U.S. an imitation of this, usually got up for charitable purposes.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xviii. (1877), I. 303. Albeit some of them [fairs] are not much better than the common kirkemesses beyond the sea, yet there are diuerse not inferiour to the greatest marts in Europe.
1611. L. Whitaker, in Coryat, Crambe, b ij a. Dutch Pappigeay and Carmas gay [Margin. A kind of drunken Dutch faire held on Sundaies and holidaies in afternoones in Sommer time].
1641. Evelyn, Diary, 28 July. It was now Kermas, or a fair, in this town.
1695. Dryden, Parall. Poetry & Paint., Wks. 1821, XVII. 305. The painting of clowns, the representation of a Dutch kermis.
1756. Mrs. Calderwood, Lett. & Jrnls. (1884), 108. As we came through Harlem, it was Kearmas, which is a great fair, which all the towns in Holland hold once every year.
1818. Blackw. Mag., III. 406/2. It would, I swear, have done the readers good, To see the pair to kerk or kermis going.
1883. G. H. Boughton, in Harper’s Mag., April, 690/1. He arrived during the wildest powwow of the ‘kermesse’ [Holland].
1888. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 12 Dec., 1/8. Salem Mechanic Light Infantry Kirmess … is destined to prove a brilliant success.
