How to pronounce venial
Say it like VEE-nee-ul. Venial has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce venial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VEE
- nee
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Venial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of venial
American and British speakers say venial in essentially the same way: /ˈviniəl/ in the US and /ˈviːniəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: VEE-nee-ul.
What does venial mean?
- Able to be forgiven; worthy of forgiveness.
- Worthy of forgiveness because trifling (trivial).“His venial youthful indiscretions.”
- Not causing spiritual death.
Where does venial come from?
From Old French venial, borrowed from Late Latin veniālem (“pardonable”), from Latin venia (“forgiveness”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with venial
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of venial.
Questions about saying venial
How do you pronounce venial?
Say VEE-nee-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈviniəl/. In British English it is /ˈviːniəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in venial?
Venial has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEE). Broken into parts: VEE · nee · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say venial the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈviniəl/ and the British form is /ˈviːniəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.