carl
noun
carl
1 American
[kahrl]
/ kɑrl /
Or
carle
noun
-
Scot.
-
a strong, robust fellow, especially a strong manual laborer.
-
a miser; an extremely thrifty person.
-
-
Archaic. a churl.
-
Obsolete. a bondman.
Carl
2
American
[kahrl]
/ kɑrl /
noun
carl
British
/ kɑːl /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carl
before 1000 (in compounds; see housecarl); Middle English; Old English -carl < Old Norse karl man; cognate with Old High German karl; akin to churl
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The city witnessed Carl Lewis win four Olympic gold medals, cheered Valerie Brisco-Hooks’ historic golden double and watched Edwin Moses extend his 400-meter hurdles unbeaten streak.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
Fame brought her introductions to such literary heavyweights as Carson McCullers, Carl Sandburg, Jean-Paul Sartre, Edith Sitwell and Dylan Thomas, all of whom came to regard her with respect and affection.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
"Carl outlined the works that have been undertaken and shared images to help residents understand how the ground is moving."
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Carl: If he doesn't have us playing like crabs going side to side again for another season and understands that central midfielders don't play right-back then he'll be an improvement that's for sure.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
Carl Friedrich Gauss, born in 1777, was a German prodigy, and he began his mathematical career with an investigation of imaginary numbers.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
