VENIAL

excusable, forgivable, venial

(adjective) easily excused or forgiven; “a venial error”

minor, venial

(adjective) warranting only temporal punishment; “venial sin”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

venial (comparative more venial, superlative most venial)

Pardonable; able to be forgiven.

Excusable; trifling

Usage notes

Venial behavior (mildly wrong behavior) is not to be confused with venal behavior (bribery/corruption).

Antonyms

• (pardonable): mortal

Anagrams

• Lavine, alevin, alvine, leavin', valine, veinal, vineal

Source: Wiktionary

Ve"ni*al, a. Etym: [OF. venial, F. véniel, L. venialis, from venia forgiveness, pardon, grace, favor, kindness; akin to venerari to venerate. See Venerate.]

1. Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression. So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip. Shak.

2. Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed." Milton. Venial sin (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins.

– Ve"ni*al*ly, adv.

– Ve"ni*al*ness, n. Bp. Hall.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition