venereal
Americanadjective
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arising from, connected with, or transmitted through sexual intercourse, as an infection.
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pertaining to conditions so arising.
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infected with or suffering from a sexually transmitted disease.
a venereal patient.
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adapted to the cure of such disease.
a venereal remedy.
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of or relating to sexual desire or intercourse.
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serving or tending to excite sexual desire; aphrodisiac.
adjective
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of, relating to, or infected with venereal disease
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(of a disease) transmitted by sexual intercourse
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of, relating to, or involving the genitals
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of or relating to sexual intercourse or erotic desire; aphrodisiac
Other Word Forms
- nonvenereal adjective
- postvenereal adjective
- unvenereal adjective
Etymology
Origin of venereal
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venere ( us ) of sexual love ( vener-, stem of venus sexual charm ( Venus ) + -eus adj. suffix) + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While syphilis as a venereal disease presents a global health risk, bejel, which is spread by skin contact, only occurs today in very arid regions of Africa and Asia.
From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2024
Three years earlier, while pursuing graduate work in history, Buxtun had taken a job at the local Public Health Service office in 1965; he was tasked with tracking venereal disease cases in the Bay Area.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 24, 2022
Domestic dogs make up another species that has low genetic diversity and is susceptible to transmissible cancer—specifically, canine transmissible venereal tumors.
From Slate • Oct. 14, 2021
During World War I, the federal government launched a national campaign against an epidemic of venereal disease in military camps.
From Salon • Dec. 27, 2018
We have as much distaste for talking about personal death as for thinking about it; it is an indelicacy, like talking in mixed company about venereal disease or abortion in the old days.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
