Main Entry:

car·nal

Pronunciation:

\ˈkär-n^əl\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French carnel, charnel, from Late Latin carnalis, from Latin carn-, caro flesh; akin to Greek keirein to cut — more at shear

Date:

14th century

1 a: relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites b: marked by sexuality <carnal love>2: bodily, corporeal <seen with carnal eyes>3 a: temporal <carnal weapons> b: worldly <a carnal mind>

— car·nal·i·ty \kär-ˈna-lə-tē\ noun

— car·nal·ly \ˈkär-nə-lē\ adverb

synonyms carnal, fleshly, sensual, animal mean having a relation to the body. carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature <a slave to carnal desires>. fleshly is less derogatory than carnal <a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations>. sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual <fleshpots providing sensual delights>. animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person <led a mindless animal existence>.