chastity
nounUK /ˈt͡ʃastɪti/ · US /ˈt͡ʃæstɪti/
Etymology From Middle English chastite, from Old French chasteté, a semi-learned adaptation of Latin castitas, equivalent to chaste + -ity.
1
The quality of being chaste: the state of abstaining from any sexual activity considered immoral; avoidance of sexual sins.
- The monk took a vow of chastity.
- vow of chastity
2 more examples
- virtue and chastity
- In Catholic doctrine, the virtue of chastity is taken to be the principal foil to everyone's favourite deadly sin, lust.2010, The Guardian, Celibacy: whose bright idea was that?, 29 May 2010
- Synonyms
- chasteness
- Antonyms
- inchastity, unchastity, incontinence, incontinency, lust, promiscuity
- Derived terms
- Chastity, chastity belt, chastity cage, chastity ring, nonchastity
- Related terms
- chaste
- Hyponyms
- celibacy