venial
Americanadjective
-
able to be forgiven or pardoned; not seriously wrong, as a sin (mortal ).
-
excusable; trifling; minor.
a venial error; a venial offense.
- Synonyms:
- forgivable, pardonable, slight
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unvenial adjective
- unveniality noun
- unvenially adverb
- unvenialness noun
- veniality noun
- venially adverb
- venialness noun
Etymology
Origin of venial
1250–1300; Middle English < Medieval Latin veniālis, equivalent to Latin veni ( a ) grace, favor, indulgence (akin to venus; venerate, Venus ) + -ālis -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.
In baseball, bunting to break up a perfect game is a mortal and not a venial sin.
From Washington Post • Nov. 13, 2020
His self-absorption is at worst a venial sin, and his book's failings should be charged to its editor.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2015
As far as environmental sins go, you can file this one in the venial category.
From Slate • Mar. 16, 2012
What we got was akin to looting an ATM: not just amusing, venial sins, but some nearly unforgivable mortal ones.
From Golf Digest • Aug. 3, 2010
Father Byrnes went on to discuss the difference between mortal and venial sins.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
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.
