carnal

car·nal

adj \ˈkär-n^əl\

Definition of CARNAL

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

Examples of CARNAL

1. <the preacher warned that those who were interested only in carnal pursuits would not see the kingdom of heaven>
2. <a missionary who tends to the carnal needs of the people as well as to their spiritual concerns>

Origin of CARNAL

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CARNAL

Synonyms: earthly, earthborn, earthbound, fleshly, material, mundane, sublunary, temporal, terrene, terrestrial, worldly

Antonyms: heavenly, nontemporal, unearthly, unworldly

Related Words: animal, bodily, corporal, corporeal, physical; daily, diurnal; unspiritual; anthropic (or anthropical), anthropocentric

Near Antonyms: celestial, Elysian, empyreal, empyrean, supernal; metaphysical; devotional, divine, religious, sacred, spiritual, utopian; extraterrestrial; ethereal, supernatural, transcendent, transcendental

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of CARNAL

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>.

Rhymes with CARNAL

charnel