venal
See also: vénal
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Latin vēna (“vein”) + -al.
Adjective
venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)
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)
- (archaic) For sale; available for purchase.
- 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.
- 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 140:
- Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.
- (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.
- 1785, The Times, 9 Feb 1785, page 1, column C:
Usage notes
Venal behavior (bribery/corruption) is not to be confused with venial behavior (mildly wrong behavior).
Synonyms
- (for sale): purchasable
- (willing to take bribes): crooked
Antonyms
Related terms
Translations
for sale, available for a price
|
willing to take bribes
|
corrupt, mercenary
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Anagrams
Catalan
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Adjective
venal m or f (masculine and feminine plural venals)
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”).
Adjective
venal m or f (masculine and feminine plural venals)
- for sale, sellable
- 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, 2024
- “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
Etymology 1
Adjective
venal m or f (masculine and feminine plural venales)
Synonyms
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”).
Adjective
venal m or f (masculine and feminine plural venales)
Further reading
- “venal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Categories:
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/iːnəl
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms suffixed with -al
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms borrowed from French
- English terms derived from French
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms with archaic senses
- Catalan terms with IPA pronunciation
- Catalan terms suffixed with -al
- Catalan lemmas
- Catalan adjectives
- Catalan epicene adjectives
- Catalan terms borrowed from Latin
- Catalan terms derived from Latin
- Spanish 2-syllable words
- Spanish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Spanish terms suffixed with -al
- Spanish lemmas
- Spanish adjectives
- Spanish epicene adjectives
- Spanish terms borrowed from Latin
- Spanish terms derived from Latin