celibate

1 of 2

adjective

cel·​i·​bate ˈse-lə-bət 

: of, relating to, or characterized by celibacy:

a

: not engaging in or characterized by sexual intercourse

leading a celibate life

Because he regarded sex outside marriage as sinful, he remained celibate all his life.

—Faith McNulty

He pursued her avidly, writing her as many as three letters a day and even offering a celibate marriage to appease her fear of sex.

—Ruth Franklin

I'd been celibate for so long, what was another year without sex?

—Sue Grafton

b

: abstaining from marriage and sex especially because of a religious vow

Father Hawkins, for one, believes the priesthood would benefit from a broader mix of married and celibate priests.

—Daniel McGinn

I have met a few celibate monks in whom celibacy is truly a gift, a charism from which all—married or not—can learn …

—John Garvey

The Shakers, a celibate religious community, stress pacifism, equality and the communal ownership of material goods.

—Lyn Riddle

celibate

2 of 2

noun

plural celibates

: a person who lives in celibacy : a celibate person:

a

: an unmarried person

especially : one who abstains from marriage because of a religious vow

priestly celibates

b

: a person who abstains from sexual intercourse

… described himself as "a reluctant celibate" who had not been with a woman for four years …

—Janice Kennedy

Examples of celibate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Sacks struggled with addiction, was celibate for decades, and suffered from his own neurological issues, all of which pulled him closer to his patients. —Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025

For many traditionalists, effective enforcement of this teaching would mean cracking down on homosexuality among the clergy, including gay clergy who are celibate and chaste. —Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018

Noun

But this ostensibly confirmed celibate oozes a gentle, undeniable sensuality. —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2025

Peter calls Ivan an incel (a portmanteau of involuntary celibate) and a baby. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin caeleb-, caelebs "not having a spouse, unmarried" (perhaps a derivative from *kail-i- "whole," going back to Indo-European *keh₂i-lo-) + -ate entry 3 — more at whole entry 1

Note: The traditional hypothesis that caelebs goes back to a compound *kai̯elo-libh- (with the first element compared to Sanskrit kevala- "exclusively oneʼs own, alone, whole" and the second to Gothic liban "to live," English live entry 1) is now considered dubious.

Noun

derivative of celibate entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1724, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1769, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

celibate

noun

cel·​i·​bate ˈsel-ə-bət 

: one who lives in celibacy

celibate adjective