carnal

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

> • carnality noun • carnally 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

>.