Carnal knowledge

Carnal knowledge

Carnal knowledge is an archaic or legal euphemism for sexual intercourse.

Though the term is still in use in some older statutes, the terms more likely to be used now are "sexual intercourse" or "sexual penetration".

Etymology

The word "carnal" derives from latin "carnalis", meaning "fleshly", and the word "knowledge" in this phrase derives from the "Biblical sense" of "to know", which means "to have sexual intercourse with". [ [http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxbiblic.html AUE: FAQ excerpt: Biblical sense of "to know" ] ] [ [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/known+in+the+biblical+sense known in the biblical sense - definition of known in the biblical sense by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia ] ] [ [http://www.answers.com/know&r=67 know: Definition, Synonyms and Much More from Answers.com ] ] (See (KJV) compared with (NIV).)

Usage

In criminal law, the phrase has had different meanings at different times and in different jurisdictions. While commonly a mere euphemism for sexual intercourse (not necessarily unlawful), different jurisdictions have defined carnal knowledge as a specific sex act such as contact between a penis and vagina, some laws elaborating this to include even "slight penile penetration of female genitalia". The definition sometimes includes a set of sex acts that include anal sex and/or oral sex, while some statutes specifically exclude such acts. The law may specify that the sex act must result in ejaculation, and/or orgasm.

Carnal knowledge has also sometimes meant sexual intercourse outside of marriage, and sometimes refers to sex with someone under the age of consent. The phrase is often found in this sense in modern legal usage, being equivalent to statutory rape in some jurisdictions, as the term "rape" implies lack of consent, and consent is considered irrelevant to such cases.

References

Further reading

* The F Word, by Jesse Sheidlower, Random House, 1999, ISBN 0-375-70634-8.

External links

* [http://www.ageofconsent.com/definitions.htm Legal definitions of Carnal Knowledge]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • carnal knowledge — car·nal knowledge / kär nəl / n: an act of esp. illegal sexual intercourse whoever has carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will District of Columbia Code Annotated; also: the crime of committing such an act was charged with… …   Law dictionary

  • Carnal knowledge — Carnal Car nal, a. [L. carnalis, fr. caro, carnis, flesh; akin to Gr. ?, Skr. kravya; cf. F. charnel, Of. also carnel. Cf. {Charnel}.] 1. Of or pertaining to the body or its appetites; animal; fleshly; sensual; given to sensual indulgence;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Carnal Knowledge — Infobox Film | name =Carnal Knowledge caption =original movie poster 1971 director = Mike Nichols producer = Mike Nichols writer = Jules Feiffer starring =Jack Nicholson Candice Bergen Art Garfunkel Ann Margret music = cinematography = editing =… …   Wikipedia

  • carnal knowledge — noun the act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman; the man s penis is inserted into the woman s vagina and excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur • Syn: ↑sexual intercourse, ↑intercourse, ↑sex act, ↑copulation, ↑coitus, ↑coition,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • carnal knowledge — Sexual intercourse, Noble v State, 22 Ohio St 541, 545; synonymous with carnal abuse, according to some authority, State v Sebastian, 81 Conn 1, 69 A 1054; but distinguished from that term by other authority on the ground that while penetration… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Carnal Knowledge — Ce plaisir qu on dit charnel Ce plaisir qu on dit charnel est un film américain réalisé par Mike Nichols et sorti en 1971. Pour sa performance dans le film, Ann Margret avait décroché une nomination aux Oscars dans la catégorie Meilleure actrice… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • carnal knowledge — Chiefly Law. sexual intercourse. * * * …   Universalium

  • carnal knowledge — noun Sexual intercourse …   Wiktionary

  • carnal knowledge — Synonyms and related words: act of love, adultery, aphrodisia, ass, balling, climax, cohabitation, coition, coitus, coitus interruptus, commerce, congress, connection, copula, copulation, coupling, diddling, fornication, intercourse, intimacy,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • carnal knowledge — Meaning Euphemism for sexual intercourse. Origin …   Meaning and origin of phrases

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