For the origin of venerate, this is what Dictionary.com has to say:
Origin:
1615–25; < Latin venerātus, past participle of venerārī to solicit the goodwill of (a god), worship, revere, verbal derivative of vener-, stem of venus, presumably in its original sense “desire”; see Venus)
So the same root originally, but evolved in a totally different direction over time!
Thank You Sir…. i always look forward to the first post on English though i miss being bedazzled by the poems in the third post. Still remember ‘the Unreachable Star’
CAT-holics 
SIR… HOW IS THAT VENEREAL REFERS TO DISEASES and venerate refers to respect
For the origin of venerate, this is what Dictionary.com has to say:
Origin:
1615–25; < Latin venerātus, past participle of venerārī to solicit the goodwill of (a god), worship, revere, verbal derivative of vener-, stem of venus, presumably in its original sense “desire”; see Venus)
So the same root originally, but evolved in a totally different direction over time!
regards
J
Thank You Sir…. i always look forward to the first post on English though i miss being bedazzled by the poems in the third post. Still remember ‘the Unreachable Star’