venial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   easily excused or forgiven

   It was only a venial error.

2. 2
   adj

   warranting only temporal punishment

   It was considered a venial sin.

3. 3
   adj

   Able to be forgiven; worthy of forgiveness.

   He did not say that he should favour such an attempt; But he did say that such an attempt would be venial.

From Old French venial, borrowed from Late Latin veniālem (“pardonable”), from Latin venia (“forgiveness”).

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