Webster's English Dictionary

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venial

Cross references:
  1. mortal                
 
ve.nial \'ve--ne--*l, -ny*l\ \'ve--ne--*-le-, -ny*-\ aj [ME, fr. OF, fr. LL 
   venialis, fr. L venia favor, indulgence, pardon]; akin to L venus love, 
   charm - more at WIN 1: FORGIVABLE, PARDONABLE; also : EXCUSABLE  2: 
   committed in a minor matter or without reflection or full consent and h eld 
   in Roman Catholicism to merit only temporal punishment {~ sin} - ve.nial.ly 
   av