Spanish Conversation · Level 156
30 words
Spanish word
carnal
Pronunciation
IPA/kaɾˈnal/
Meaning
- adjectivephysical
Example
Prefiere el placer carnal al intelectual.
He prefers physical pleasure to intellectual pleasure.
More examples
Ella no ocultó sus deseos carnales.
She did not hide her sexual desires.
Core concept
Flesh-based bodily desire.
Common phrases
deseos carnales
sexual desires
amor carnal
sexual love
Similar words
sexual: Pertaining directly to sex or sexual behavior.
físico: Neutral physical sense: concerning the body's material nature.
sensual: Connected to pleasure and attractiveness felt through the senses.
Definition in Spanish
Que se refiere a la carne o al cuerpo; aplicado a los placeres corporales y, en contextos de parentesco, a la relación sanguínea.
Word origin
From Latin carnis meaning flesh plus the suffix -alis, originally 'of the flesh' and later used for bodily or sexual matters and for blood kinship.
Usage tips
- Prefer físico for a neutral word meaning physical, since carnal most often appears to mark sexual contexts (deseo carnal) or blood-related ties rather than general bodily attributes.
Other meanings
- sexualadjective
- blood-relatedadjective
Opposites
- intelectualintellectualadjective