venal Hear it!

venal Definition

ve·nal (nəl)

adjective

  1. Now Rare capable of being obtained for a price venal services
  2. that can readily be bribed or corrupted a venal judge
  3. characterized by bribery or corruption a venal bargain

Etymology: L venalis, salable, for sale < *venus, sale < IE *wesno-, price > Sans vasná-, price, payment, Gr ōnos, price

venal Related Forms
ve·nally adverb
venal Synonyms

venal

modif.

venal Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • scholar: His zeal for the total and correct application of the Sharia and his impatience with unjust and venal scholars is thus understandable.
  • politician: It takes a long time to catch up with venal French politicians, not least because of the privacy laws.
  • system: Physiology 1 The Circulatory System The circulatory system can be divided into two parts; the arterial system, and the venal system.
  • governor: His target: a venal provincial governor by the name of Gaius Verres.
  • operator: Gordon Brown, meanwhile, will inherit the electoral equivalent of Enron share certificates, out-smarted by a more venal, less principled operator.

Modifying Another Word

  • so: Not everything was so venal in this operation, however.

Browse dictionary entries near venal

  1. vena cava
  2. vena
  3. Ven
  4. velvety
  5. velveteen
  6. velvet bean
  7. velvet ant
  8. velvet
  9. velutinous
  10. velure
  1. venality
  2. venatic
  3. venation
  4. vend
  5. Vendée
  6. Vendôme
  7. vendace
  8. vendee
  9. vender
  10. vendetta