carp
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carp¹
- /ˈkɑːp/ UK
- /ˈkɑɹp/ US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)p
Where it comes from
From Late Middle English carpe (“the common carp (Cyprinus carpio)”), from Old French carpe, from Late Latin carpa, possibly from Proto-West Germanic *karpo (possibly due to the introduction from the fish from the Danube into England in the 14th century; whence Middle Low German karpe and Old High German charpho, karpho); further etymology unknown.
noun carp · carps
- Any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. The Carp is a ſtately, a good, and a ſubtle fiſh, a fiſh that hath not (as it is ſaid) been long in England, but ſaid to be by one Mr. Maſcall (a Gentleman then living at Plumſted in Suſſex) brought into this Nation: […] Carps and Loches are obſerved to breed ſeveral months in one year, vvhich moſt
- The common carp, Cyprinus carpio.
carp²
- /ˈkɑːp/ UK
- /ˈkɑɹp/ US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)p
Where it comes from
The verb is derived from Middle English carpen, karpe (“to chat, converse, talk; to chatter, gossip; to ask; to cry out, wail; to find fault, carp; to relate, tell; to recite; to sing”), and then partly:
* from Old Norse karpa (“to boast, brag; to dispute, quarrel”), further etymology unknown; and
* from, or influenced by, Latin carpere, the present active infinitive of carpō (“to harvest, pick, pluck; to criticize, revile, slander, carp at”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kerp- (“to harvest, pluck”).
The noun is derived from the verb. (Middle English carp, karp (“conversation, discourse, talking; spoken or written message or statement; meaning; news; poem; song; story”), from Old Norse karp (“bragging”), did not survive into modern English.)
verb carps · carping · carped · carp
- To criticize or complain about a fault, especially for frivolous or petty reasons; to cavil. Here agayne Seruetto carpeth, yͭ God did beare the perſon of an Angel. As thoughe the Prophete did not confirme that whiche Moſes had ſaied: why doeſt thou aſke me of my name?
- To speak, to talk; also, to talk about a subject in speech or writing.
-
To talk much but to little purpose; to chatter, to prattle.
And some of them barke, / Clatter and carpe / Of that heresy arte / Called Wicleuista, / The deuelysshe dogmatista; […]
Similar: blabber, prate, babble, bat the breeze, blab, blather, carp, chat, chatter, chew the fat, chew the rag, chinwag
- Of a bird: to sing; of a person (such as a minstrel): to sing or recite. Hys hart is to hy to haue any hap; / But for in his gamut carp that he can, / Lo, Jak wold be a jentylman!
- To say or tell (something).
-
To find fault with (someone or something); to censure, to criticize.
Albeit I doe knovve they [the speeches] vvill lie open to the cenſure of the youth of our time, vvho for the moſt part, are ſo over-gulled vvith ſelf-liking, that they are more then giddy in admiring themſelves, and carping vvhatſoever hath beene done or ſaide heeretofore, Nevertheleſſe I hope that
Similar: reprehend, reprove, take exception
noun carps
- An instance of, or speech, complaining or criticizing about a fault, especially for frivolous or petty reasons; a cavil.
CARP³
proper noun
- Initialism of Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles, a Unificationist organization.
Carp⁴
Where it comes from
* As a German, Polish, and Jewish surname, spelling variant of Karp.
* As an English surname, from the noun carp (“kind of fish”).
* Also as an English surname, from the verb carp (“to complain”).
proper noun Carps
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: cavil, chicane, bream, crucian, goldfish, pickerel, fish, spawn, mouse, bellyache, rouge, nag, park, carpenter, tent, rail
Translations
Every language
Talk about this word "carp." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/carp. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. carp. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/carp "carp." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/carp.Cite this
@misc{carp_2026,
title = {carp},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/carp},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
