Carnal feelings and desires are sexual and physical, without any spiritual element.
[formal]
Their ruling passion is that of carnal love.
Synonyms: sexual, animal, sexy [informal], fleshly More Synonyms of carnal
carnal in British English
(ˈkɑːnəl)
adjective
relating to the appetites and passions of the body; sensual; fleshly
Derived forms
carnalist (ˈcarnalist)
noun
carnality (carˈnality)
noun
carnally (ˈcarnally)
adverb
Word origin
C15: from Late Latin: relating to flesh, from Latin carō flesh
carnal in American English
(ˈkɑrnəl)
adjective
1.
in or of the flesh; bodily; material or worldly, not spiritual
2.
having to do with or preoccupied with bodily or sexual pleasures; sensual or sexual
Idioms:
have carnal knowledge of
SYNONYMY NOTE: carnal implies relation to the body or flesh as the seat of basic physical appetites, nowesp. sexual appetites, and usually stresses absence of intellectual or moral influence[carnal lust]; fleshly, expressing less censure, stresses these appetites and their gratification as naturalto the flesh [fleshly frailty]; sensual stresses relation to or preoccupation with gratifying the bodily senses and usuallyimplies grossness or lewdness [sensual lips]; animal is applied to the physical nature of humankind as distinguished from intellectualand spiritual nature, and now rarely carries a derogatory implication [animal spirits]
Derived forms
carnality (carˈnality) (kɑrˈnæləti)
nounWord forms: pluralcarˈnalities
carnally (ˈcarnally)
adverb
Word origin
ME & OFr < LL(Ec) carnalis, fleshly (in contrast to spiritalis, spiritual) < L caro (gen. carnis), flesh: for IE base see harvest
Examples of 'carnal' in a sentence
carnal
This is carnal love by which a man loves himself above all for his own sake.
Christianity Today (2000)
But could charitable giving be akin to a more carnal pleasure, it asks.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
EATING is one carnal pleasure we do all seem to be getting enough of.
The Sun (2012)
It gave him, he said, carnal pleasure for the first time in his life.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
(adjective)
Definition
of a sexual or sensual nature
Their passion became inflamed and their carnal desires ran wild.
Synonyms
sexual
exchanging sexual glances
animal
the animal side of human nature
sexy (informal)
fleshly
erotic
passionate and erotic love poetry
sensual
He was a very sensual person.
randy (informal, mainly British)
It was extremely hot and I was feeling rather randy.
steamy (informal)
He'd had a steamy affair with an office colleague.
raunchy (informal)
a raunchy movie
sensuous
wide, sensuous lips
voluptuous
lewd
The embattled mayor apologized for making lewd remarks to reporters.
wanton
His eldest son was a wanton youth and a disappointment to him.
amorous
salacious
prurient
our prurient fascination with sexual scandals
impure
He was accused of having impure motives.
lascivious
The man was lascivious, sexually perverted and insatiable.
lustful
He can't stop himself from having lustful thoughts.
lecherous
In Greek myth, the nymph Daphne transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's lecherous advances.
libidinous
He let his libidinous imagination run away with him.
licentious
alarming stories of licentious behaviour
unchaste
Additional synonyms
in the sense of animal
Definition
of or relating to physical needs or desires
the animal side of human nature
Synonyms
physical,
gross,
fleshly,
bodily,
sensual,
carnal,
brutish,
bestial,
animalistic
in the sense of erotic
Definition
of, concerning, or arousing sexual desire or giving sexual pleasure