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venery1

[ven-uh-ree]
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noun Archaic.
  1. the gratification of sexual desire.

Origin of venery1

1490–1500; < Latin vener- (stem of venus; see Venus) + -y3; compare Latin venera amours

venery2

[ven-uh-ree]
noun Archaic.
  1. the practice or sport of hunting; the chase.

Origin of venery2

1275–1325; Middle English venerie hunting < Middle French, equivalent to ven(er) to hunt ≪ Latin vēnārī + -erie -ery
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for venery

Historical Examples

  • This conduct of venery is an ideal that is only approximated.

    The Leopard Woman

    Stewart Edward White

  • Aboard her Longaveile, she's thine own, To me the fooling of this fool is venery.

  • Fifthly, By the too frequent reiteration of the act of venery.

  • The hotter the Climate, the stronger are the Inclinations to Venery.

  • He was, in the full force of the term, what is called in venery a knowing dog.

    Les Misrables

    Victor Hugo

British Dictionary definitions for venery

venery1

noun
  1. archaic the pursuit of sexual gratification

Word Origin

C15: from Medieval Latin veneria, from Latin venus love, Venus 1

venery2

noun
  1. the art, sport, lore, or practice of hunting, esp with hounds; the chase

Word Origin

C14: from Old French venerie, from vener to hunt, from Latin vēnārī
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for venery

n.

"pursuit of sexual pleasure," late 15c., from Medieval Latin veneria "sexual intercourse," from Latin venus (genitive veneris) "sexual love, sexual desire" (see Venus). In earlier use it may have been felt as a play on now obsolete homonym venery "practice or sport of hunting, the chase" (early 14c.), from Old French venerie, from Latin venari "to hunt" (see venison).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper