venality

V4E1N1A1L1I1T1Y4
/vɪˈnælɪti/

noun

The fact or state of being for sale, especially with reference to bribes or corruption.

OriginFrench vénalité ← Latin vēnālitās →
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Meanings

nounvenality (countable and uncountable, plural venalities)

plural venalities

  1. countableuncountableThe fact or state of being for sale, especially with reference to bribes or corruption.

    1785, The Times, 17 Jan 1785, p.1 col. B As your spirited paper has declared war, not only against venality and despotism, but was intended to correct follies and abuses in private life, I hope the following will come within its useful plan.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
corruption

Origin

  1. Latinvēnālitās
  2. Frenchvénalité
  3. Englishvenality

From venal + -ity, from French vénalité or Latin vēnālitās, from vēnālis (“venal”), from vēnum; compare English vend.

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Käuflichkeit
  • Käuflichkeitbeing for sale
Polish przekupność, sprzedajność
  • przekupnośćbeing for sale
  • sprzedajnośćbeing for sale
Russian прода́жность
  • прода́жность (prodážnostʹ)being for sale

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with venality

realitybestialitypersonalityhospitalitysexualityconfidentialitymoralitylocalityhomosexualitymentalitypluralitydualitylegalitybrutalitymodalityfatalitygeneralitytotalitycausalitysensualityformalitynormalityproportionalitydimensionality
All rhymes →

Anagrams

natively
Cite this entry
APA

venality. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/venality

MLA

“venality.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/venality. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “venality,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/venality.

Source: venality on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.