early 15c., "sensuality, fleshly lusts or desires," from Late Latin carnalitas, from Latin carnalis "of the flesh" (see carnal). The meaning "state of being flesh, fleshliness" is from mid-15c.
Entries linking to carnality
carnal adj.
c. 1400, "physical, human, mortal," from Old French carnal and directly from Latin carnalis "fleshly, of the flesh," from carnis "of the flesh," genitive of caro "flesh, meat," probably originally "a piece of flesh" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut").
The meaning "sensual, pertaining to the passions and appetites of the flesh" is from early 15c.; that of "worldly, sinful, not spiritual" is from mid-15c. Carnal knowledge "sexual intercourse" is attested from early 15c. and was in legal use by 1680s. Medieval Latin carnalis meant "natural, of the same blood," a sense sometimes found in Middle English carnal.