Legal Dictionary
Main Entry:
car·nal knowledgePronunciation:
'kär-n&l-Function:
noun : an act of esp. illegal sexual intercourse
carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will —District of Columbia Code Annotated>; also : the crime of committing such an act carnal knowledge of a juvenile> —see also RAPE
NOTE: Carnal knowledge is sometimes an element of the statutory definition of rape in addition to being a separate offense.