Carnification
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A pathological process in which chronic inflammation or infection causes lung tissue to organize into a fibrous form that resembles meat, which can lead to a loss of normal lung function. countable, uncountable
"Carnification is held to be most common in new-born children; after the fifth year it is comparatively unfrequent in occurrence; whilst in adults it is very rarely met with; but in aged people again becomes more common , though still less so than in early life."
- 2 A similar pathological transformation to other types of tissue so that it becomes fibrous and dense. countable, uncountable
"One grade of inflammatory irritation produces carnification or hepatization of the medullary tissue, another grade suppuration, and a still higher degree of inflammatory irritation produces gangrene of that tissue."
- 3 The literal transformation of something into flesh or meat. countable, uncountable
"The room AX is pacing in looks CUTE ('cut!' with an 'e' which, in turn, stands for eye; an eye of carnification that turns bread into flesh; good enough to eat once the carnifex has made the split into a shift, which is not the end of it; an eye of mastication, obviously of great value – canine, yet kingly – carpe diem to the appetite, never mind the digestion as long as one can chew sight to a pulp, swallow, and feel all the better for it; […]"
- 4 The transformation of something into a human being. countable, uncountable
"Alongside these radiant, clamorous sisters with their luminous eyes and rich curves, Hennie appeared – and was– frail, muted, secretive, nothing at all like an expected carnfication of his full name, Hendrik."
- 5 The process of something nonphysical taking on a physical form (not necessarily involving flesh). countable, uncountable
"Ptah-Seth and Sekmet whirl in utter disorientation, dizzy with the loss of time and reality, utterly confused and shattered by the destruction of their first carnification and the change to another form."
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- 6 Carnal (sexual) activity. countable, uncountable
"Yet the spaces between the photos are not so unfleshly: sanguinary parturition, placid blood-warmth of lactation, mysterious lone carnification of my and my husband's love in this marriage-bed– all even more inviolable for being so privately, so unimmortally mine"
Example
More examples"Carnification is held to be most common in new-born children; after the fifth year it is comparatively unfrequent in occurrence; whilst in adults it is very rarely met with; but in aged people again becomes more common , though still less so than in early life."
Etymology
Compare French carnification.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.