Wiktionary

chaste

See also: chastè

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English chaste, from Old French chaste (“morally pure”), from Latin castus (“pure”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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chaste (comparative chaster, superlative chastest)

  1. Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
    1. Sexually pure, abstaining from immoral or unlawful sexual intercourse.
      • 1930 December 31, Pius XI, Casti Connubii‎[1], §44:
        When we consider the great excellence of chaste wedlock, Venerable Brethren, it appears all the more regrettable that particularly in our day we should witness this divine institution often scorned and on every side degraded.
      Theirs was a chaste marriage, loving and content.
    2. Synonym of celibate, abstaining from any sexual intercourse.
      Theirs was a chaste marriage, cold and sexless.
    3. Synonym of virginal, innocent, having or providing no sexual knowledge or experience.
      Her upbringing had been so chaste that her first experience French kissing ended in a panicked dash to the Piggly Wiggly to buy a home pregnancy test, just in case.
    4. Synonym of modest, particularly (sexism) in reference to behavior expected of sexually pure women.
      • 1871, Henry Court translating Sher Ali Afsos as The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, p. 31:
        ... but the cars of chaste women have either coverings thrown over them, or white sheets hung over; for instance, on the cars of the female part of the family of the deceased Nawabs Khanduran and Muzaffar Khan, there used generally to be fastened thick dirty white cloths, and in like manner also on their palanquins—although one brother was the chief treasurer, and the other a commander of seven thousand men. And most assuredly this is a requirement of modesty; for one whose palanquin or cart is turned out with much splendour, verily the idea comes to the minds of the sight-seers and common people, that in it there must be some lovely one, bright as the morning, the envy of the fairies. Hence, for the cars or palanquins for women to ride in to be greatly embroidered is, in the opinion of certain men of standing, who are worthy to be trusted, of great infamy.
      I ask again what reason could a chaste woman possibly have for being out so late? and in that part of town?
      Your Honor, we repeat our motion that you recuse yourself from this case.
    5. (in art, fashion, etc.) Synonym of austere, plain, unextravagant, particularly demure, sexually discreet.
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:unadorned
      The chaste style of most early modern novels is elegant but intensely boring, particularly for teenagers too inexperienced to effectively read between the lines.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Anagrams

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French

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old French chaste, caste, a semi-learned term derived from Latin castus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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chaste (plural chastes)

  1. chaste; celibate

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Old French

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Semi-learned term derived from Latin castus.

Adjective

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chaste m (oblique and nominative feminine singular chaste)

  1. chaste; celibate
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