virgin means in a state of virginity; chaste, not having had sexual intercourse. It carries an Arena rating of 1505, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, virgin ranks #1,352 of 17,093 for Most Storied Words, #1,893 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #4,459 of 17,120 for Most Beautiful Words, #6,191 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
virgin is pronounced /ˈvɜːd͡ʒɪn/.
Why “virgin” is a great word
An intrinsic state of not having been used, experienced, or exploited in a fundamental, defining way. From Middle English *virgine*, from Old French *virgine*, from Latin *virginem*, accusative of *virgō* ("maiden, unmarried woman"). Doublet of Virgo. Displaced native Old English *fǣmne*. Unlike "chaste," which implies a moral vow of continence, or "pristine," which suggests a carefully maintained original state, "virgin" denotes an untouched condition prior to any defining contact. It is the unbroken seal on a wax letter, the forest that has never known the axe, the silence before the first note is played—a pure potential that carries the quiet tension of what it has not yet become.
Etymology
From Middle English virgine, from Old French virgine, from Latin virginem, accusative of virgō. Doublet of Virgo. Displaced native Old English fǣmne.
adj
- In a state of virginity; chaste, not having had sexual intercourse.e.g.“Innocence and virgin Modestie […] / That would be woo’d, and not unsought be won”
- Of a physical object, untouched.e.g.“The white cold virgin snow upon my heart / Abates the ardour of my liver.”
- Not yet cultivated, explored, or exploited by humans or humans of certain civilizations.e.g.“virgin prairie”
- Inexperienced.e.g.“The woman shook dangerously, an obvious virgin gunhandler.”
- Of olive oil, obtained by mechanical means, so that the oil is not altered.e.g.“Wondering how some oil is somehow more virgin than regular virgin olive oil can be a real head-scratcher.”
- Of mixed drinks, not containing alcohol.e.g.“a virgin daiquiri”
name
- Synonym of Virgin Mary (“Mary, mother of Jesus”).
- The constellation and zodiacal sign Virgo.e.g.“In Autumpne, whan the sonne in vyrgyne / By radyante hete enryped hath our corne […]”
- A surname.
- A tributary of the Colorado River in the states of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona in the United States.
- A town in Washington County, Utah.
noun
- A person who has never had sexual intercourse, or (uncommonly) an animal that has never mated.e.g.“On the other hand, the daughter of a clergyman repeatedly performed fellatio instead of genital intercourse so that she could remain a virgin.”
- A person who has never engaged in any sexual activity at all.
- Someone vowed to virginity (usually a woman and often a consecrated virgin), or someone who died in defense of their virginity; (especially) one venerated as a saint.e.g.“In its list of saints, the Catholic Church classifies St. Agnes, St. Maria Goretti, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux as virgins.”
- One who has never used or experienced a specified thing.e.g.“I've never eaten tofu before—you could say I'm a tofu virgin.”
- Any of several species of gossamer-winged butterflies of the family Lycaenidae.
- A female insect producing eggs from which young are hatched, though there has been no fecundation by a male; a parthenogenetic insect.
- A dedicated fan of "virgincore" bands, e.g., Car Seat Headrest, Radiohead, and Weezer.
- A person who plays certain video games that are popularly believed to appeal to virgins, e.g., League of Legends, Paradox Interactive grand strategy games, and World of Warcraft.
- A Redditor.
- A person who wears certain items of clothing that are popularly considered to be unfashionable, e.g., Crocs and fedoras.
- A representation (picture, statue etc.) of Virgin Mary.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.