Carnal \Car"nal\, a. [L. carnalis, fr. caro, carnis, flesh; akin
   to Gr. ?, Skr. kravya; cf. F. charnel, Of. also carnel. Cf.
   Charnel.]
   1. Of or pertaining to the body or its appetites; animal;
      fleshly; sensual; given to sensual indulgence; lustful;
      human or worldly as opposed to spiritual.
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            For ye are yet carnal.                --1 Cor. iii.
                                                  3.
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            Not sunk in carnal pleasure.          --Milton
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            Carnal desires after miracles.        --Trench.
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   2. Flesh-devouring; cruel; ravenous; bloody. [Obs.]
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            This carnal cur
            Preys on the issue of his mother's body. --Shak.
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   Carnal knowledge, sexual intercourse; -- used especially of
      an unlawful act on the part of the man.
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	carnal knowledge
    n 1: the act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman;
         the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina and
         excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur [syn: sexual
         intercourse, intercourse, sex act, copulation,
         coitus, coition, sexual congress, congress, sexual
         relation, relation, carnal knowledge]

	

	44 Moby Thesaurus words for "carnal knowledge":
   act of love, adultery, aphrodisia, ass, balling, climax,
   cohabitation, coition, coitus, coitus interruptus, commerce,
   congress, connection, copula, copulation, coupling, diddling,
   fornication, intercourse, intimacy, lovemaking, making it with,
   marital relations, marriage act, mating, meat, onanism, orgasm,
   ovum, pareunia, procreation, relations, screwing, sex, sex act,
   sexual climax, sexual commerce, sexual congress,
   sexual intercourse, sexual relations, sexual union, sleeping with,
   sperm, venery

	

	CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, crim. law. This phrase is used to signify a sexual 
connexion; as, rape is the carnal knowledge of a woman, &c. See Rape.