venal

adj
/ˈviːnəl/

Etymology

Borrowed from French vénal, from Old French venel, from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”); compare English vend.

  1. derived from vēnālis — “for sale
  2. derived from venel
  3. borrowed from vénal

Definitions

  1. Venous

    Venous; pertaining to veins.

  2. For sale

    For sale; available for purchase.

    • Because lips libertine and and venal had murmured such words to him, he believed but little in the candour of hers; […].
  3. Of a position, privilege etc.

    Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.

    • Thus, regimental commands in the army were – as with the judiciary or the financial bureaucracy – venal posts, which were purchased, bequeathed and sold among the nobility.
  4. + 2 more definitions
    1. Capable of being bought (of a person)

      Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.

    2. Corrupt, mercenary.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for venal. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA