Zoology. a keellike part or ridge, especially a ridge of bone on the ventral side of the sternum of birds.
Botany. the two conjoined lower petals of a pea or bean flower that enclose the stamen and style.
Astronomy. the Keel, a southern constellation, containing the bright star, Canopus: one of the constellations into which Argo is divided.
a female given name, form of Carin.
1695–1705; < Latin: keel; cf. careen
First recorded in 1695–1705
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The carina is the last tracheal cartilage and forms a cartilage division between the two bronchi.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
The inferior end of the trachea divides into right and left bronchi at an area known as the carina.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
The carina is a raised structure that contains specialized nervous tissue that induces violent coughing if a foreign body, such as food, is present.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
Capitulum with two tubular ear-like appendages, seated behind the rudimentary and often absent terga; scuta bilobed; carina absent, or quite rudimentary; peduncle long, distinctly separated from the capitulum.
From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles
The carina is straight and pointed, and not, relatively to the scuta, quite so long.
From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles
He’s jumping to a company founded by one of his former students, Carina Hong, who has the sort of dazzling résumé that would make AI feel insecure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
A superb first touch from Wieke Kaptein's cross got the ball out of her feet, before a sweeping right-foot strike left goalkeeper Carina Schluter helpless.
From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2025
When Carina tells her that she didn’t homeschool her son for kindergarten but sent him to public school, Suzanne is mildly horrified.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2025
Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech's Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, also worked on the study.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 12, 2024
“Because I want to marry you. Carina, ti amo,” he explained, and he drew her gently back down to the pillow.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Spiracular area: the anterior of the three areas between lateral and pleural carinae on the metanotum of some Hymenoptera: =first pleural area.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Foot wide; shell turriculated, with carinated whorls, the carinae tuberculated or spiny.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various
External median area: Hymenoptera; the median of the three cells or areas between the median and lateral longitudinal carinae: = second lateral area.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Middle pleural area: in Hymenoptera; the median of the three areas between lateral and pleural carinae: = 2d pleural area.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Carinulate: a surface with small and rather numerous carinae.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
In the one large group of specimens examined by me, in Mr. Cuming's possession, all were attached symmetrically to the coralline, as in the case of S. vulgare, capitulum upwards, and their carinas outwards.
From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles
There’s indeed something cosmic about “Eta Carinae: Divinatory Claims,” a vast drawing of billowing red specks that takes part of its name from a distant star system.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 14, 2022
Figure 22.20 shows a wonderful image of the very massive star Eta Carinae, with a great deal of ejected material clearly visible.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
With a mass at least 100 times that of the Sun, the hot supergiant Eta Carinae is one of the most massive stars known.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
"I'm going to leave the Acquataine Cluster and return to Carinae."
From The Dueling Machine by Bova, Ben
Little beyond the fora to the east is the Carinae, a fashionable quarter of beautiful shops and houses, and still further off are the Baths of Titus, extending from the Carinae to the Esquiline Mount.
From The Old Roman World, : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization. by Lord, John
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.
