Venereal
/vəˈnɪə.ri.əl/noun
Relating to or resulting from sexual intercourse.
Did you know?The word 'venereal' comes from Venus, the Roman goddess of love, but in ancient times, her connections to lust also included darker aspects of desire and consequence.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wen-
“to strive or desire, to wish for.”
Latin
Latin
venereus
“of or belonging to sexual intercourse.”
Latin
Latin
Venus
“the goddess of love, beauty, and desire.”
Middle English
Middle English
venereal
“pertaining to sexual intercourse or diseases.”
Modern English
English
venereal
“connected with sexual activity, especially in a medical context.”