Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Commanding respect by virtue of age, dignity, character, or position.
  • adjective Worthy of reverence, especially by religious or historical association.
  • adjective Roman Catholic Church Used as a title for a person who has reached the first stage of canonization.
  • adjective Used as a form of address for an archdeacon in the Anglican Church or the Episcopal Church.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving honor and respect, particularly with a suggestion of age or dignity: as, a venerable magistrate; a venerable scholar. In the Anglican Church, specifically applied to archdeacons.
  • Hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations; to be regarded with reverence: as, the venerable precincts of a temple.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Capable of being venerated; worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving of honor and respect; -- generally implying an advanced age.
  • adjective Rendered sacred by religious or other associations; that should be regarded with awe and treated with reverence.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective commanding respect because of age, dignity, character or position
  • adjective worthy of reverence
  • adjective ancient, antiquated or archaic
  • adjective Used as a form of address for an archdeacon in the Anglican Church
  • adjective Used as a form of address in the Roman Catholic Church for someone in the first stages of sainthood
  • adjective Used as a form of address in the Eastern Orthodox Church for some saints
  • adjective made sacred especially by religious or historical association
  • adjective a : calling forth respect through age, character, and attainments; broadly : conveying an impression of aged goodness and benevolence b : impressive by reason of age

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective profoundly honored
  • adjective impressive by reason of age

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The word venerable originates from the name Venus, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality.

    God is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu … Carlton Pearson 2010

  • The word venerable originates from the name Venus, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality.

    God is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu … Carlton Pearson 2010

  • The word venerable originates from the name Venus, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality.

    God is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu … Carlton Pearson 2010

  • The word venerable originates from the name Venus, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality.

    God is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu … Carlton Pearson 2010

  • How I shall henceforth dwell on the blessed hours when, not long since, I saw that benignant face, the clear eyes, the silently smiling mouth, the form yet upright in its great age—to the very last, with so much spring and cheeriness, and such an absence of decrepitude, that even the term venerable hardly seem’d fitting.

    By Emerson’s Grave. Specimen Days 1892

  • How I shall henceforth dwell on the blessed hours when, not long since, I saw that benignant face, the clear eyes, the silently smiling mouth, the form yet upright in its great age -- to the very last, with so much spring and cheeriness, and such an absence of decrepitude, that even the term venerable hardly seem'd fitting.

    Specimen Days; from Complete Poetry and Collected Prose 1855

  • "arguments" the term venerable is used instead of mouldy, and hallowed instead of devilish; whereas there is nothing properly venerable or antique about a language which is not yet four hundred years old, and about a jumble of imbecile spellings which were grotesque in the beginning, and which grow more and more grotesque with the flight of the years.

    Chapters from My Autobiography Mark Twain 1872

  • I didn't realize the word, venerable, is associated with age.

    A Special Day at the Wabi-Sabi House The Curious Holts 2009

  • And I might have used it as did a certain venerable skipper, who, when No. 3 was empty, mixed a dose from No. 1 and No. 2, or, when No. 7 was all gone, dosed his crew with 4 and 3 till 3 gave out, when he used

    Chapter 17 1913

  • And I might have used it as did a certain venerable skipper, who, when No. 3 was empty, mixed a dose from No. 1 and No. 2, or, when No. 7 was all gone, dosed his crew with 4 and 3 till 3 gave out, when he used

    Chapter 17 1911

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  • but it cut the very heart out of this venerable word

    September 29, 2010