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venial

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(vēn′yəl, vē′nē əl)

adjective

that may be forgiven; pardonable
that may be excused or overlooked; excusable: said as of an error or fault
Theol. not causing spiritual death: said of sin either not serious in itself or, if serious, not adequately recognized as such or not committed with full consent of one's will

Origin: OFr < LL(Ec) venialis, pardonable, orig., gracious < L venia, a grace, favor, akin to venus, love: see Venus

Related Forms:

veniality noun
venially adverb

See venial in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable: a venial offense.
Roman Catholic Church Minor, therefore warranting only temporal punishment.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Late Latin veniālis

Origin: , from Latin venia, forgiveness; see wen-¹ in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

veˌni·alˈi·ty (vēˌnē-ălˈĭ-tē, vēn-yălˈ-), veˈni·al·ness (vēˈnē-əl-nĭs, vēnˈyəl-) noun

veˈni·al·ly adverb

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