carnal

CEFRC1

/ˈkɑɹnəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Relating to physical or sexual desires.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Of or relating to the body or flesh.

Examples

  • There is a constant perception of carnal joy as spiritual.

  • Layla had insatiable carnal needs.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
1

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Worldly or earthly; temporal.

  2. Relating to the physical and especially sexual appetites or activities.

More examples

In context

  • At the town of Mendes, in the principal temple, there was a living male goat, with which, if the statement of Herodotus is to be accepted, naked female worshippers actually had carnal intercourse.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The monk vowed to renounce all blank desires and live a pure life.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English carnal, from Old French charnel, from Late Latin carnālis (“fleshy”), from oblique stem of Latin carō, carnis (“meat, flesh”) + -ālis (whence -al).