carnality

[ kahr-nal-i-tee ]
See synonyms for carnality on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. preoccupation with, or indulgence in, the flesh or the body and its passions and appetites; sensuality: Giving in to the lures of carnality—whether that means porn or real-life promiscuity—is damaging to everyone concerned.

  2. the quality or state of being merely temporal or worldly; lack of spiritual vitality or maturity: Complaints about salary, jealousy, ambition for a reputation, and other forms of carnality show how little we ministers are separated from the world.

Origin of carnality

1
First recorded in 1400–1450; carnal + -ity
  • Rarely car·nal·ism [kahr-nl-iz-uhm], /ˈkɑr nlˌɪz əm/, car·nal·ness [kahr-nl-nis] /ˈkɑr nl nɪs/ .

Words Nearby carnality

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use carnality in a sentence

  • Superstition, the offspring of ignorance and craft, may occasionally symbolize it into carnality.

    Cultus Arborum | Anonymous
  • Dorothy's pride lay in giving an heir to a great family, not in adding another piece of carnality to the human race.

    The Vanity Girl | Compton Mackenzie
  • As soon as he comes in the way of temptation, the unsubdued carnality of his soul asserts its life and power.

    The Parables of Our Lord | William Arnot
  • To his sins of carnality was added the shame of traffic with females hostile to the true God.

    The Dead Command | Vicente Blasco Ibez