charnel

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French charnel, from Late Latin carnāle (“graveyard”), from Latin carnālis, or possibly an alteration of Anglo-Norman charner, from Medieval Latin carnārium (“charnel”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): [tʃɑːɹnəl]
• (UK) IPA^(key): [tʃɑːnəl]
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)nəl

Noun

charnel (plural charnels)

1. A chapel attached to a mortuary.
2. A repository for dead bodies.

Adjective

charnel (comparative more charnel, superlative most charnel)

1. Of or relating to a charnel, deathlike, sepulchral.
   • 1874, James Thomson, The City of Dreadful Night

     He murmured to himself with dull despair,

     Here Faith died, poisoned by this charnel air.

References

• OED2

Anagrams

• larchen

Etymology

From Middle French charnel, from Old French charnel, inherited from Latin carnālis. Also analysable as a derivative of Old French charn (→ Modern French chair) + -el.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃaʁ.nɛl/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

charnel (feminine singular charnelle, masculine plural charnels, feminine plural charnelles)

1. carnal (relating to the physical and especially sexual appetites)

Further reading

• “charnel” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

Old French charnel.

Adjective

charnel m (feminine singular charnelle, masculine plural charnels, feminine plural charnelles)

1. carnal (relating to flesh)
2. carnal; corporal; bodily
3. carnal (relating to the physical and especially sexual appetites)

References

• charnel on Dictionnaire du Moyen Français (1330-1500) (in French)
• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (charnel, supplement)

Etymology

From Latin carnālis.

Adjective

charnel m (oblique and nominative feminine singular charnel)

1. carnal (relating to the physical and especially sexual appetites)