carnal (adj.)
c. 1400, "physical, human, mortal," from Old French carnal and directly from Latin carnalis "fleshly, of the flesh," from carnis "of the flesh," genitive of caro "flesh, meat," probably originally "a piece of flesh" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut").
The meaning "sensual, pertaining to the passions and appetites of the flesh" is from early 15c.; that of "worldly, sinful, not spiritual" is from mid-15c. Carnal knowledge "sexual intercourse" is attested from early 15c. and was in legal use by 1680s. Medieval Latin carnalis meant "natural, of the same blood," a sense sometimes found in Middle English carnal.
Trends of carnal
updated on September 10, 2022
Dictionary entries near carnal
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carminative
carmine
Carnaby Street
carnage
carnal
carnalite
carnality
carnalize
carnally
carnation