adjective
- willing to sell one’s influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary: a venal judge.
- able to be purchased, as by a bribe: venal acquittals.
- associated with or characterized by bribery: a venal administration; venal agreements.
adjective
- easily bribed or corrupted; mercenarya venal magistrate
- characterized by corruptiona venal civilization
- open to purchase, esp by briberya venal contract
1650s, “offered for sale, capable of being obtained for a price,” from French vénal, from Latin venalis “that is for sale,” from venum (nominative *venus) “for sale,” from PIE root *wes- “to buy, sell” (cf. Sanskrit vasnah “purchase money,” vasnam “reward,” vasnayati “he bargains, haggles;” Greek onos “price paid, purchase,” oneisthai “to buy”).