venery

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the pursuit of sexual pleasure

   The novel portrays his devotion to venery as empty and selfish.

2. 2
   noun

   the sport or practice of hunting game animals

   The estate's old records describe venery in the surrounding forest.

3. 3
   noun

   wild animals hunted as game

   Deer were the chief venery protected by the forest laws.

The hunting sense comes through Middle English and Old French venerie from Latin venari, ‘to hunt.’ The sexual sense has a separate association with Latin Venus, the goddess of love, and is related to venereal.

Topics