chastity

noun

chas·​ti·​ty ˈcha-stə-tē How to pronounce chastity (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being chaste: such as
a
: abstention from unlawful sexual intercourse
b
: abstention from all sexual intercourse
The priest took a vow of chastity.
c
: purity in conduct and intention
sought to protect her threatened chastity
d
: restraint and simplicity in design or expression
… describes the familiar campaigns with an admirable chastity of diction.Richard Brookhiser
2
: personal integrity

Examples of chastity in a Sentence

a saint who is often held up as a model of chastity vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Sisters of Mercy are an international community of Roman Catholic women who dedicate their lives to the Gospel of Jesus and take vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 2 July 2025 The residents of the house had taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Raul A. Reyes, NBC news, 29 June 2025 He’s taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and lived in a community with other priests. Erika Page, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025 The dismissal came after a more than year long dispute between the nuns and the diocese that began when Olson investigated a report that the nuns’ leader, the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside the diocese. Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chastity

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chastete, chastite, borrowed from Anglo-French casthetet, chasteté, borrowed from Latin castitāt-, castitās, from castus "free from, free from vice, chaste" + -itāt-, -itās

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chastity was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chastity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chastity. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

chastity

noun
chas·​ti·​ty ˈchas-tət-ē How to pronounce chastity (audio)
: the quality or state of being chaste

More from Merriam-Webster on chastity

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