carp

verb

Save Word

\ ˈkärp

carped; carping; carps

Definition of carp

(Entry 1 of 5)

intransitive verb

: to find fault or complain querulously

carp

noun (1)

Definition of carp (Entry 2 of 5)

: complaint

carp

noun (2)

plural carp or carps

Definition of carp (Entry 3 of 5)

1 : a large variable Asian soft-finned freshwater cyprinid fish (Cyprinus carpio) of sluggish waters that is often raised for food and has been widely introduced into U.S. waters also : any of various related cyprinid fishes (such as the grass carp)

2 : a fish (such as the European sea bream) resembling a carp

carp-

combining form

variants: or carpo-

Definition of carp- (Entry 4 of 5)

: fruit carpogonium

-carp

noun combining form

Definition of -carp (Entry 5 of 5)

: part of a fruit mesocarp : fruit schizocarp

Other Words from carp Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about carp

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Verb

You might guess that the verb carp word is a descendant of the noun referring to a type of fish. That's a reasonable speculation, but the verb actually preceded the fish's name into the English language by approximately a century. Its origins are Scandinavian: it may be related to the Icelandic verb karpa, meaning "to dispute" or "to wrangle," and beyond that perhaps to Old Norse karp, meaning "boasting" or "arrogance." In the early 20th century, English speakers also coined a second noun carp (meaning "complaint") from this verb.