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chastity
[ chas-ti-tee ]
chastity
/ ˈtʃæstɪtɪ /
noun
- the state of being chaste; purity
- abstention from sexual intercourse; virginity or celibacy
a vow of chastity
Other Words From
- non·chasti·ty noun
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of chastity1
Example Sentences
Weeks before the unrest in the summer of 2022, President Raisi had ordered a tightening of Iran's "hijab and chastity law" which obligated women to behave and dress modestly.
The sisters’ vows of chastity and poverty and the air of secrecy that shrouds their cloistered lives are all intriguingly antithetical to modern Western values of sex, money and fame.
Hollywood embraces sex: After a period of relative chastity, big movies are bringing back eroticism.
He also suggested she was much more experienced than her clerical counterpart, who supposedly was bound by a vow of chastity, in matters of sex.
Still, many pundits cling to this fantasy that American evangelicals are morally upright people who actually mean all that talk about chastity, charity, and Christian values.
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Related Words
About This Word
What does chastity mean?
Chastity most commonly refers to the quality or virtue of refraining from sexual activity that’s considered immoral, especially according to the teachings of a certain religion.
It sometimes means about the same thing as celibacy—refraining from all sexual activity. When members of certain religions take a vow of chastity, this is usually what it means.
Chastity is the quality of being chaste. The word chaste can be used to describe someone who refrains sexual activity considered immoral or any sexual activity. Chaste can also be used in a more general way to mean morally pure.
Example: When I went to Catholic high school, my religion teachers always emphasized the virtue of chastity.
Where does chastity come from?
The first records of the word chastity come from around 1200. It ultimately comes from the Latin castus, meaning “pure.” The word caste comes from the same root. The suffix -ity is used to form abstract nouns.
What’s considered morally pure heavily depends on cultural and religious norms, and the idea of chastity may differ from one religion to another or one person to another. In Christianity, the word chastity often refers to the avoidance of sexual activity outside of marriage or sexual activity without the goal of reproduction. Describing someone as unchaste is a moral judgment, and the person may take offense to this, especially if they don’t believe in the same set of morals. In many religions, the promotion of chastity has traditionally been directed more toward women, leading some people to criticize such lessons as sexist or oppressive.
Chastity appears in the phrase chastity belt, a type of device that typically covers the genitals and is designed to prevent sexual contact with the person wearing it.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to chastity?
- nonchastity (noun)
- chaste (adjective)
What are some synonyms for chastity?
What are some words that share a root or word element with chastity?
What are some words that often get used in discussing chastity?
How is chastity used in real life?
The word chastity is usually used in the context of religion, or in the criticism of religious teaching about such things.
@SBroadie Nuns do not have boyfriends. We take a vow of chastity- giving our whole selves to the Lord. Hope this helps clarify.
— Sr Margaret Michael (@srmmichael) November 26, 2014
What a loss for Westeros that as kingsguard Podrick has to take a vow of chastity
— Sally Tamarkin (@sallyt) May 21, 2019
Preaching that chastity = purity creates an environment that insinuates a woman's worth is based on her virginity.
— This Machine Kills Fascists (@RoyalHoeliness) April 15, 2014
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