Search Result for "venial": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. warranting only temporal punishment;
- Example: "venial sin"
[syn: minor, venial]

2. easily excused or forgiven;
- Example: "a venial error"
[syn: excusable, forgivable, venial]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Venial \Ve"ni*al\, a. [OF. venial, F. v['e]niel, 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. [1913 Webster] So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed." --Milton. [1913 Webster] Venial sin (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins. [1913 Webster] -- Ve"ni*al*ly, adv. -- Ve"ni*al*ness, n. --Bp. Hall. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

venial adj 1: warranting only temporal punishment; "venial sin" [syn: minor, venial] 2: easily excused or forgiven; "a venial error" [syn: excusable, forgivable, venial]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

27 Moby Thesaurus words for "venial": admissible, allowable, condonable, defensible, dispensable, excusable, exemptible, expiable, forgivable, harmless, inoffensive, insignificant, justifiable, legitimate, minor, pardonable, petty, reasonable, remissible, tolerable, tolerated, trifling, trivial, unimportant, unobjectionable, vindicable, warrantable