carl

[kahrl] /kɑrl/
noun
1.
Scot.
  1. a strong, robust fellow, especially a strong manual laborer.
  2. a miser; an extremely thrifty person.
2.
Archaic. a churl.
3.
Obsolete. a bondman.
Also, carle.
Origin
before 1000 (in compounds; see housecarl); Middle English; Old English -carl < Old Norse karl man; cognate with Old High German karl; akin to churl
Related forms
carlish, adjective
carlishness, noun

Carl

[kahrl] /kɑrl/
noun
1.
a male given name, form of Charles.
Examples from the web for carl
  • carl was waiting there to catch whatever it was flying out the window.
  • carl also reported that this was another thing he was familiar with.
  • A carl is a commoner, a husband or in a derogatory sense, a churl or male of low birth.
  • carl made an accession speech, which comprised the main purpose of the undertaking.
British Dictionary definitions for carl

carl

/kɑːl/
noun
1.
(archaic) another word for churl
Word Origin
Old English, from Old Norse karl
Word Origin and History for carl
n.

c.1300, "bondsman; common man, man of low birth," from Old Norse karl "man, male, freeman," from Proto-Germanic *karlon-, the same root that produced Old English ceorl "man of low degree" (see churl).

The Mellere was a stout carle for the nones [Chaucer]

Carl

masc. proper name, from Middle High German Karl "man, husband" (see carl).