chaste
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: chāst
ipa: /t͡ʃeɪst/
ipa: /t͡ʃæst/
homophone: chased
rhymes: -eɪst
rhymes: -æst
Forms: form: chaster
form: chastest
Etymology: From Middle English chaste, from Old French chaste (“morally pure”), from Latin castus (“pure”).
Senses: examples: text: 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.
ref: 1930 December 31, Pius XI, Casti Connubii, §44:
text: Theirs was a chaste marriage, loving and content.
glosses: Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
Sexually pure, abstaining from immoral or unlawful sexual intercourse.
examples: text: Theirs was a chaste marriage, cold and sexless.
glosses: Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
Synonym of celibate, abstaining from any sexual intercourse.
synonyms: word: celibate
word: abstaining from any sexual intercourse
examples: text: Then way what loſſe your honor may ſuſtaine
 If with too credent eare you liſt his ſongs
 Or looſe your hart, or your chaſt treaſure open
 To his vnmaſtred importunity.
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
text: 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.
glosses: Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
Synonym of virginal, innocent, having or providing no sexual knowledge or experience.
synonyms: word: virginal
word: innocent
word: having or providing no sexual knowledge or experience
examples: text: ... 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.
ref: 1871, Sher Ali Afsos, translated by Henry Court, The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, page 31:
text: 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.
glosses: Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
Synonym of modest, particularly (sexism) in reference to behavior expected of sexually pure women.
synonyms: word: modest
extra: (sexism) in reference to behavior expected of sexually pure women
word: particularly
extra: (sexism) in reference to behavior expected of sexually pure women
examples: text: The chaste style of most early modern novels is elegant but intensely boring, particularly for teenagers too inexperienced to effectively read between the lines.
topics: fashion
lifestyle
glosses: Synonym of pure and virtuous, particularly
Synonym of austere, plain, unextravagant, particularly demure, sexually discreet.
synonyms: word: austere
word: bare
word: chaste
word: inornate
word: modest
word: plain
word: quiet
word: severe
word: simple
word: spartan
word: unadorned
word: unembellished
word: unextravagant
word: unornamented
word: undecked
word: ungarnished
word: untrimmed
word: unvarnished
word: austere
word: plain
word: unextravagant
word: particularly demure
word: sexually discreet
raw_tags: in art
Derived terms: chasteberry
chastely
chasteness
chaste tree
chastity
inchaste
unchaste