English word origin

Etymology of venal

From Latin vēna (“vein”) + -al.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

adj

Venous; pertaining to veins.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Latin vēna (“vein”) + -al.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionvēnala · vein

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "vēna",
        "t": "vein"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vēna (“vein”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "suffix",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "al"
      },
      "expansion": "+ -al"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "vēna",
      "vena#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-al",
      "-al#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Venous; pertaining to veins."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "rare"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adj

For sale; available for purchase. · Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit. · Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes. · Corrupt, mercenary.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

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

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionvénalfr
Derivation mentionvenelfro
Derivation mentionvēnālisla · for sale
Cognate mentionvenden

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "vénal"
      },
      "expansion": "French vénal"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "venel"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French venel"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "vēnālis",
        "t": "for sale"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vēnālis (“for sale”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "vend"
      },
      "expansion": "English vend"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "vénal",
      "vénal#French"
    ],
    [
      "venel",
      "venel#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "vēnālis",
      "venalis#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "vēnum",
      "venum#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "vend",
      "vend#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "For sale; available for purchase.",
        "Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.",
        "Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.",
        "Corrupt, mercenary."
      ],
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        "archaic"
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  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for venal →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-dmVuYWw