venal

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

From Latin vēna (“vein”) +‎ -al.

venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)

1. Venous; pertaining to veins.

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

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.

Venal behavior (bribery/corruption) is not to be confused with venial behavior (mildly wrong behavior).

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

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

• venally

• Alven, Levan, elvan, levan, navel

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

vena +‎ -al

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

1. venal, venous

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

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

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

   Synonym: subornable

• “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.

• IPA^(key): /beˈnal/

From vena +‎ -al.

venal (plural venales)

1. venous

• venoso

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

venal (plural venales)

1. venal, corruptible
2. for sale, sellable

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