virginal meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

virginal

adj

/ˈvɜː(ɹ)d͡ʒɪnəl/

Etymology From Middle English virginal, from Middle French virginal, from Latin virginālis. The musical instrument is probably so called from being played by young girls.

Being or resembling a virgin.

Uncontaminated or pure.

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Parthenogenic.

Synonyms: chaste, cherry, undeflowered, unfucked, unsullied, vestal, virgin, virginal
Antonyms: debauched, defiled, deflowered, desecrated, fallen, unvirginal, violated
Derived terms: virginal membrane
Related terms: callow, innocent, pristine, pure, untouched, pubescent
Hypernyms: temperate

virginal

noun

Etymology From Middle English virginal, from Middle French virginal, from Latin virginālis. The musical instrument is probably so called from being played by young girls.

Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A musical instrument in the harpsichord family.

His uncle, a Cardinal, engages a Spanish youth of Moorish descent called Diego, an expert singer and player on the virginal, to unlock the secrets of the heart, and to cleanse his bosom of the perilous stuff, and cure him by the spell of his music.1932, Maurice Baring, chapter 16, in Friday's Business:

Synonyms: pair of virginals

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