different between rapacious vs venal

English

Etymology

Perhaps from rapacity +? -ous, in any case ultimately from Latin rap?x (“grasping, greedy”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???pe?.??s/
• Rhymes: -e???s

Adjective

rapacious (comparative more rapacious, superlative most rapacious)

1. (also figuratively) Voracious; avaricious.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:greedy
2. Given to taking by force or plundering; aggressively greedy.
3. (of an animal, usually a bird) Subsisting off live prey.

Usage notes

• The use of this term for animals other than birds is dated.

Related terms

• rapaciously
• rapaciousness
• rapacity

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?vi?n?l/
• Rhymes: -i?n?l

Etymology 1

From Latin v?na (“vein”) +? -al.

Adjective

venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)

1. Venous; pertaining to veins.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French vénal, from Old French venel, from Latin v?n?lis (“for sale”), from v?num (“something for sale”); compare vend.

Adjective

venal (comparative more venal, superlative most venal)

1. (archaic) For sale; available for purchase.

   Synonym: purchasable

2. Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 140:

     Thus, regimental commands in the army were – as with the judiciary or the financial bureaucracy – venal posts, which were purchased, bequeathed and sold among the nobility.

3. Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.

   Synonym: crooked

   Antonyms: straight, honest, uncorrupt

4. (of behaviour etc.) Corrupt, mercenary.
   • 1785, The Times, 9 Feb 1785, page 1, column C:

     Though there is a disposition in mankind, to declaim against the corruption and peculation of the present times, as being more venal than formerly; yet, if we look back to different periods, we shall find statesmen and politicians, as selfish and corrupt, […] as those who have lately figured on the political stage.

Usage notes

Venal behavior (bribery/corruption) is not to be confused with venial behavior (mildly wrong behavior).

Related terms

• venally

Translations

Anagrams

• Alven, Levan, elvan, levan, navel

Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /v??nal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /b??nal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ve?nal/

Etymology 1

vena +? -al

Adjective

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

1. venal, venous

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin v?n?lis (“for sale”), from v?num (“something for sale”).

Adjective

venal (masculine and feminine plural venals)

1. for sale, sellable
2. venal (willing to take bribes)

   Synonym: subornable

Further reading

• “venal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “venal” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “venal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “venal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Romanian

Etymology

From French vénal, from Latin venalis.

Adjective

venal m or n (feminine singular venal?, masculine plural venali, feminine and neuter plural venale)

1. venal, venous

Declension

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /be?nal/, [be?nal]

Etymology 1

From vena +? -al.

Adjective

venal (plural venales)

1. venous

   Synonym: venoso

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin v?n?lis (“for sale”), from v?num (“something for sale”).

Adjective

venal (plural venales)

1. venal, corruptible
2. for sale, sellable

Derived terms

• valor venal

Further reading

• “venal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.