fleshly
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the flesh or body; bodily, corporeal, or physical.
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carnal; sensual.
fleshly pleasures.
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worldly, rather than spiritual.
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having a sensuous quality.
the fleshly poetry of the 17th century.
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Obsolete. having much flesh; fleshy.
adjective
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relating to the body, esp its sensual nature; carnal
fleshly desire
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worldly as opposed to spiritual
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fleshy; fat
Synonym Usage
See carnal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fleshly
before 900; Middle English; Old English flǣsclic. See flesh, -ly
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.
In early Christianity, spiritual warfare meant one was to resist the Devil by engaging in forms of ascetic behavior, mastering fleshly desires, and cultivating Christian virtues like humility, self-control, and love of enemies.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2024
Two weeks prior to “Subspace Rhapsody,” they aired a crossover with the animated spinoff “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” in which cartoon characters became flesh and fleshly characters cartoons.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2023
It is almost a renunciation, as if we could cede the part of ourselves that relies on fleshly sustenance so that only the essential remains.
From New York Times • May 11, 2022
“There were some fleshly remains and the odor was so foul,” the villager said.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2021
But if he was only reasoning from the wee bit of earth he knew, was he not speaking of things he had not seen, being vainly puffed-up in his fleshly mind?
From My Path to Atheism by Besant, Annie Wood
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.
