definitions

carping

[ kahr-ping ]
/ ˈkɑr pɪŋ /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR carping ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by fussy or petulant faultfinding; querulous: carping criticism.

noun

petty faultfinding.

RELATED WORDS

nagging, niggling, disparaging, quibbling, grumbling, whining, grousing, griping, moaning, censorious, critical, fault-finding, grouchy, hypercritical, scathing, deprecatory, overcritical, nit-picking

Nearby words

carpeting, carpetweed, carphenazine maleate, carphology, carpi, carping, carpingly, carpinteria, carpo, carpo-, carpocarpal

Origin of carping

1275–1325; Middle English (noun); see carp1, -ing2, -ing1
Related formscarp·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for carping (2 of 2)

carp

1
[ kahrp ]
/ kɑrp /

verb (used without object)

to find fault or complain querulously or unreasonably; be niggling in criticizing; cavil: to carp at minor errors.

noun

a peevish complaint.

Origin of carp

1
1200–50; Middle English carpen to speak, prate < Old Norse karpa to brag, wrangle
Related formscarp·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for carping

British Dictionary definitions for carping (1 of 3)

carping

/ (ˈkɑːpɪŋ) /

adjective

tending to make petty complaints; fault-finding
Derived Formscarpingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for carping (2 of 3)

carp

1
/ (kɑːp) /

verb

(intr often foll by at) to complain or find fault; nag pettily
Derived Formscarper, noun

Word Origin for carp

C13: from Old Norse karpa to boast; related to Latin carpere to pluck

British Dictionary definitions for carping (3 of 3)

carp

2
/ (kɑːp) /

noun plural carp or carps

a freshwater teleost food fish, Cyprinus carpio, having a body covered with cycloid scales, a naked head, one long dorsal fin, and two barbels on each side of the mouth: family Cyprinidae
any other fish of the family Cyprinidae; a cyprinid
Related formsRelated adjectives: cyprinid, cyprinoid

Word Origin for carp

C14: from Old French carpe, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German karpfo, Old Norse karfi
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012