From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Venial \Ve"ni*al\, a. [OF. venial, F. v['e]niel, L. venialis,
from venia forgiveness, pardon, grace, favor, kindness; akin
to venerari to venerate. See {Venerate}.]
1. Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable;
pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression.
[1913 Webster]
So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while
venial discourse unblamed." --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
{Venial sin} (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does
not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or
deadly, sins.
[1913 Webster] -- {Ve"ni*al*ly}, adv. -- {Ve"ni*al*ness},
n. --Bp. Hall.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
venial
adj 1: warranting only temporal punishment; "venial sin" [syn:
{minor}, {venial}]
2: easily excused or forgiven; "a venial error" [syn:
{excusable}, {forgivable}, {venial}]
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