a freshwater fish with large scales and small barbels near its mouth Carp have been raised as food by people since ancient times
disapproval If you say that someone is carping, you mean that they keep criticizing or complaining about someone or something, especially in a way you think is unnecessary or annoying. He cannot understand why she's constantly carping at him + carping carp·ing She was in no mood to put up with Blanche's carping. to keep complaining about something in a way that is annoying carp about (From a language). carp a large fish that lives in lakes and rivers and can be eaten. Hardy, greenish brown fish (Cyprinus carpio, family Cyprinidae) native to Asia but introduced into Europe, North America, and elsewhere. Large-scaled, with two barbels (fleshy, whiskerlike feelers) on each side of its upper jaw, the carp lives alone or in small schools in quiet, weedy, mud-bottomed ponds, lakes, and rivers. An omnivore, it often stirs up sediment while rooting about for food, adversely affecting many plants and animals. Carp grow to an average length of about 14 in. (35 cm); some grow to 40 in. (100 cm) and 49 lbs (22 kg). In captivity they may live more than 40 years