intemerate

adj

intemerate

adj

Etymology First attested in 1492, in Middle English; borrowed from Latin intemerātus, from in- (“not”) + temerātus, perfect passive participle of temerō (“to violate”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from temerē (“by chance, casually, rashly”).

1

Rare Pure, undefiled, chaste.

  • The states of the kingdom are bound, with faithful concern, to leave intemerate all the royal prerogatives, after the dictates of the Swedish law, so that they shall be kept in their full vigor and strength ...1792, William Coxe, Travels Into Poland, Russia, Sweden and Denmark:
  • The flagrant corruption and prostitution of all that is sacred at Rome, had never spread its taint into his upright, intemerate soul.1846, William Harrison Ainsworth, Ainsworth's Magazine:
2 more examples
  • You mean to make her your wife ; and the wife of Carberry Ratcliff must be intemerate!1864, Epes Sargent, Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition:
  • And hitherto their flesh had been intemerate and inviolable; the strictest orders had been issued that none should dare to slap them, and all were only too prone to coax and pet the beautiful angels.1865, David Masson, George Grove & John Morley, Macmillan's Magazine:
Derived terms
intemerateness
Related terms
temerarious, temerary, temeration, temerity

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.