virginity

IPA/vəˈdʒɪnəti/
KK[vɚdʒˈɪnɪti]IPA/vərˈdʒɪnəti/

virginity — noun

1. the condition of being a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, oft

1.nounB2
Definition

the condition of being a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, often viewed in society as a meaningful personal milestone

Example

Shanti decided to wait until marriage before losing her virginity.

collocation: lose one's virginity

In many cultures, a woman's virginity was historically tied to her family's reputation.

passive structure: virginity was tied to

Common collocations
  • lose one's virginity
  • preserve one's virginity
  • take someone's virginity
  • virginity pledge
Synonyms
  • chastity

    implies a deliberate, often moral decision to abstain rather than merely the factual state

  • celibacy

    refers to the ongoing choice to remain unmarried or refrain from sex, not just one's initial lack of experience

  • purity

    broader and more value-laden; can include moral or spiritual innocence beyond sexuality

Antonyms

Usage Note

Frequently used in phrases like 'lose one's virginity' (to have sex for the first time) and 'preserve one's virginity' (to remain celibate). The word carries different social and cultural weight depending on the context — it may be a neutral, personal, or heavily value-laden term.

Common Mistakes

He lost his virgin.
He lost his virginity.
A 'virgin' is a person; 'virginity' is the state of being a virgin.

2. a playful or informal way of describing the state of never having tried a partic

2.nounB2
Definition

a playful or informal way of describing the state of never having tried a particular activity, pastime, or experience — for example, having 'cooking virginity' or 'skiing virginity'

Example

Kasia had never been skiing before, so she laughingly admitted her virginity on the slopes.

humorous use: admit one's virginity in [activity]

The team's virginity in international competitions showed in their hesitant first performance.

Common collocations
  • virginity in [activity]
  • [activity] virginity
  • lose one's [activity] virginity
Synonyms
  • inexperience

    neutral and broader; lacks the playful, metaphorical tone of this sense

  • novice status

    emphasises beginner level rather than the complete absence of experience

  • rookie state

    slangy and informal, but less common than the virginity metaphor

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

possessive + [activity] virginity

lose one's [activity] virginity

Usage Note

Always metaphorical and deliberately informal. The sense is usually signalled by a preceding possessive modifier or a noun adjunct ('skiing virginity', 'online-gaming virginity'). Avoid in formal or academic writing — a more neutral alternative is 'lack of experience in [area]'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms relate to abstaining from or not having had sex, but they differ in scope and connotation. Virginity is the factual state of never having had sex — neutral and descriptive, though it can carry social weight depending on context. Chastity adds a moral dimension: it implies a conscious decision to remain sexually pure, often for religious or ethical reasons. Celibacy goes a step further, referring to a long-term, often vowed commitment to remain unmarried and refrain from all sexual activity. Purity is the broadest term — it can include virginity but also covers moral innocence, cleanliness, and spiritual integrity beyond sexuality. For example, a person might say 'I chose to preserve my virginity until marriage' (factual choice), 'the nuns took a vow of chastity' (moral/religious), 'he has practised celibacy for a decade' (long-term commitment), or 'the community valued the purity of its young members' (broad social ideal).

virginity ↗chastity ↗celibacypurity ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • lose one's virginity
  • preserve one's virginity
  • take someone's virginity

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Virginity entered English through Old French 'virginité', which came from Latin 'virginitas', itself derived from 'virgo' meaning 'maiden' or 'young woman'. In ancient Rome, the term was closely tied to the social status of unmarried girls, and this link to female identity shaped the word for many centuries. Over time the meaning broadened to describe the state of never having had sex for any person, and in modern usage the word has also gained a playful metaphorical sense for inexperience in any activity.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1