carl
/kɑːl/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: carls
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A rude, rustic man; a churl.
Noun
Examples
In Lent noblemen and carls alike had got into the traces and pulled the carts of stone themselves.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A student at Carleton College, Minnesota.
NounRegister: informal
Examples
Located in rural Minnesota, Carleton is not surrounded by any cultural diversity unless you count pig farms and cow farms as separately diverse institutions. The nice thing about Carleton is that Carls are pretty much non-judgmental […]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “carl” mean?
A rude, rustic man; a churl.
Is “carl” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.