venal

See also: vénal

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈviːnəl/
• Rhymes: -iːnəl

Etymology 1

From Latin vēna (“vein”) +‎ -al.

Adjective

venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)

1. Venous; pertaining to veins.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French vénal, from Old French venel, from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”); compare vend.

Adjective

venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)

1. (archaic) For sale; available for purchase.
2. Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 140:

     Thus, regimental commands in the army were – as with the judiciary or the financial bureaucracy – venal posts, which were purchased, bequeathed and sold among the nobility.

3. Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.
4. (of behaviour etc.) Corrupt, mercenary.
   • 1785, The Times, 9 Feb 1785, page 1, column C:

     Though there is a disposition in mankind, to declaim against the corruption and peculation of the present times, as being more venal than formerly; yet, if we look back to different periods, we shall find statesmen and politicians, as selfish and corrupt, […] as those who have lately figured on the political stage.

Usage notes

Do not confuse venal behavior (bribery/corruption) with venial behavior (mildly wrong behavior).

Synonyms

• (for sale): purchasable
• (willing to take bribes): crooked

Antonyms

• (willing to take bribes): straight, honest, uncorrupt

Related terms

• venally

Translations

for sale, available for a price

• Catalan: venal
• Finnish: myytävänä
• French: vénal (fr)
• Greek: παραδόπιστος (el) (paradópistos), αργυρώνητος (el) (argyrónitos), εξαγοράσιμος (el) (exagorásimos)

• Latin: vēnālis, nummarius
• Spanish: venal (es)
• Swedish: fal (sv)

willing to take bribes

• Dutch: omkoopbaar (nl)
• Finnish: lahjottavissa oleva, korruptoitunut
• French: vénal (fr)
• Georgian: ანგარებიანი (angarebiani), მოსყიდული (mosq̇iduli), მექრთამე (mekrtame), დაქრთამული (dakrtamuli)
• German: käuflich (de)

• Greek: αργυρώνητος (el) (argyrónitos), δωροδοκούμενος (dorodokoúmenos)
• Latin: venalis, venale
• Russian: прода́жный (ru) (prodážnyj)
• Spanish: venal (es)
• Swedish: mutbar, besticklig (sv)

corrupt, mercenary

• French: vénal (fr)
• Greek: παραδόπιστος (el) (paradópistos), αργυρώνητος (el) (argyrónitos)
• Italian: venale (it)
• Latin: venalis, venale, nummarius, nummaria, nummarium

• Polish: prostytutka (pl)
• Spanish: venal (es)
• Swedish: korrumperad (sv), korrupt (sv)

Anagrams

• Alven, Levan, elvan, levan, navel

---

Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /vəˈnal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /bəˈnal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /veˈnal/

Etymology 1

vena +‎ -al

Adjective

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

1. venal, venous

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”).

Adjective

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

1. for sale, sellable
2. venal (willing to take bribes)

   Synonym: subornable

Further reading

• “venal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “venal” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “venal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “venal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

---

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beˈnal/

Etymology 1

From vena +‎ -al.

Adjective

venal (plural venales)

1. venous

Synonyms

• venoso

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”).

Adjective

venal (plural venales)

1. venal, corruptible
2. for sale, sellable

Further reading

• “venal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.