carve

American  

[kahrv] / kɑrv /

verb (used with object)

carved, carving

1. to cut (a solid material) so as to form something.

   to carve a piece of pine.

2. to form from a solid material by cutting.

   to carve a statue out of stone.

3. to cut into slices or pieces, as a roast of meat.

4. to decorate with designs or figures cut on the surface.

   The top of the box was beautifully carved with figures of lions and unicorns.

5. to cut (a design, figures, etc.) on a surface.

   Figures of lions and unicorns were carved on the top of the box.

6. to make or create for oneself (often followed byout ).

   He carved out a career in business.

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verb (used without object)

carved, carving

1. to carve figures, designs, etc.

2. to cut meat.

carve British  

/ kɑːv /

verb

1. (tr) to cut or chip in order to form something

   to carve wood

2. to decorate or form (something) by cutting or chipping

   to carve statues

3. to slice (meat) into pieces

   to carve a turkey

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Other Word Forms

• carver noun
• recarve verb
• semicarved adjective
• uncarved adjective
• undercarve verb (used with object)
• well-carved adjective

Etymology

Origin of carve

before 1000; Middle English kerven, Old English ceorfan to cut; cognate with Middle Low German kerven, German kerben, Greek gráphein to mark, write; see graph

Explanation

When you cut a design into a piece of wood or marble, you carve it. Headstone engravers carve people's names and the dates of their births and deaths into gravestones. You might carve your initials into the tree in your backyard, or carve a walking stick out of a large branch. Some artists work by carving shapes from clay or granite, and a chef learns to carve, or precisely cut up, large cuts of meat and poultry. The Old English root word is ceorfan, "to cut, slay, carve, or engrave."

Example Sentences

Mulling the evolution of global trade, Lula criticised moves away from free trade towards protectionism by some powers, without mentioning any by name, just as emerging economies seek to carve out their own role.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

The carve out, known as Section 230, comes from a 30-year-old law and is only 26 words long, yet it is considered the foundation of how the modern internet functions.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Authorities coordinate with airlines to carve out the safest corridors, and planes calibrate their altitude to minimize their time in threat zones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

As their characters, Conforti, Blanchard and Ardies, deftly carve out discrete personalities beneath their plum-colored homogeneity, each playing a role that is, in turn, playing a role while also remaining desperately human.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

“Some, for sure. Normally we have no trouble filling as many lanterns as we care to carve, but tonight might be an exception.”

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Related Words

• chisel
• divide
• engrave
• etch
• fashion
• hack
• mold
• sculpt
• shape
• slice