[car.nal] adj [ME, fr. ONF or LL; ONF, fr. LL carnalis, fr. L carn-, caro flesh; akin to Gk keirein to cut--more at shear] (14c) 1 a: relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites b: marked by sexuality
2: bodily, corporeal 3 a: temporal b: worldly -- car.nal.i.ty n -- car.nal.ly adv syn 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".