Venial
/ˈviː.ni.əl/noun
Easily excused or forgiven; in theology, relating to a minor sin.
Did you know?Venial comes from Latin venia, meaning “favor,” “pardon,” or “forgiveness,” so its root is literally the language of mercy, not evil.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wen-
“to desire, strive for, love”
Latin
Latin
venia
“favor, indulgence, pardon”
Late Latin
Latin
venialis
“pardonable, excusable”
Old French
Old French
venial
“pardonable, excusable”
Middle English
English
venial
“easily forgiven; minor in gravity”
Modern English
English
venial
“easily excused or forgiven; minor”