virgin

noun vir·gin \ ˈvər-jən \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Examples: virgin in a Sentence

1 a : a person who has not had sexual intercourse

b : a person who is inexperienced in a usually specified sphere of activity

2 a : an unmarried woman devoted to religion

b capitalized : virgo

3 a : an absolutely chaste young woman

b : an unmarried girl or woman

4 capitalized : virgin mary

5 : a female animal that has never copulated

See virgin defined for English-language learners

See virgin defined for kids

Examples of virgin in a Sentence

a virgin in the world of comedy clubs, he's still learning to deal with hecklers

Recent Examples of virgin from the Web

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

— terri milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Keep your cool: No-heat cooking keeps you comfortable and the food fresh," 5 July 2018
Cedar grown Lemon Thyme, Chives tossed with garlic, corto extra virgin, Local Stumpy Point Shrimp and Billy’s seafood provided the scallops.

— kathleen purvis, charlotteobserver, "Headed to the beach? Here are 14 great places to eat, from Carolina Beach to Calabash," 10 Apr. 2018
Order the Oliveto, a drink featuring gin, lemon, Licor 43, extra-virgin olive oil and an egg white.

— patrick thomas, WSJ, "America’s Coolest Drinking City," 22 June 2018
Small artichokes in extra-virgin olive oil, $17.50 for 6.7 ounces, gustiamo.com.

— florence fabricant, New York Times, "The Perfect Accompaniment to a Negroni," 19 June 2018
Today, extra-virgin olive oil is having an American moment.

— ted trautman, San Francisco Chronicle, "California’s olive oil craze: rooted in the far north counties," 7 June 2018
In a very large pot over medium heat, warm the extra-virgin olive oil.

— mary dellas, The Cut, "Recipes From Fashion’s Favorite Family Dinner Party," 26 Apr. 2018
Both Edward and Florence are virgins, and despite their love for each other, their courtship is a fumbling, tentative transaction.

— peter rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, "'On Chesil Beach' tells a tragic story of crossed love," 18 May 2018
Veggie snacks: Mince a couple of cloves of garlic with a few anchovies (trust me), and whisk it into some extra-virgin olive oil.

— james p. dewan, chicagotribune.com, "5 beer snacks you can make at home to impress your drinking buddies," 17 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'virgin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of virgin

Middle English, from Anglo-French virgine, from Latin virgin-, virgo young woman, virgin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year

virgin

adjective

1 : chaste

2 : fresh, unspoiled; specifically : not altered by human activity

a virgin forest

3 of a vegetable oil : obtained from the first light pressing and without heating

4 a (1) : being used or worked for the first time

virgin lumber

— see also virgin wool

(2) of a metal : produced directly from ore by primary smelting

b : initial, first

5 : containing no alcohol

a virgin daiquiri

6 : free of impurity or stain : unsullied

7 : characteristic of or befitting a virgin : modest

See virgin defined for English-language learners

Examples of virgin in a Sentence

virgin boys are sometimes unfairly teased
the state's only remaining virgin forest

Recent Examples of virgin from the Web

Drizzle kale with extra virgin olive oil until well dressed.

— kathryn gregory, The Courier-Journal, "Celebrate Fourth of July with these Louisville chef throwback recipes," 2 July 2018
By 2025 Loop Industries will have two European facilities supplying all the virgin-quality plastic resin that evian needs to make all of its bottles from 100% recycled plastic—meeting its 2025 commitment.

— National Geographic, "Evian and Loop Industries: Starting a Revolution in Plastic Recycling," 13 June 2018
Mix together the corn oil and extra virgin olive oil in a separate bowl, then slowly whisk the oils into the vinegar mixture.

— chronicle staff, San Francisco Chronicle, "4 recipes from now-closed Terra in St. Helena," 11 June 2018
Start your magic shell by combining chopped white chocolate and melted virgin coconut oil in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, which helps the chocolate melt smoothly and evenly.

— aliza abarbanel, Bon Appetit, "Matcha-Dipped Strawberries Are the Dessert We're Bringing to Every Summer Hang," 5 June 2018
Mushrooms Makes 2 cups 2 pounds button mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes Salt and pepper Heat the oven to 375° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

— marian bull, GQ, "The Superiority Burger Cookbook Has the Secret to the Best Mushrooms You'll Ever Eat," 7 June 2018
Burning the bread added a dimension of texture that complements the aroma and fruitiness of the dressing’s extra virgin olive oil.

— todd plummer, Vogue, "The Right Way to Burn Food, According to the Chefs Who Do It Best," 26 May 2018
Le’ Tresses specializes in high quality, virgin hair wigs and strip lashes.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "Comings & Goings: New gas station planned for Hickory Hills," 15 May 2018
Emanating island vibes, the gluten-free option is derived from coconut meat, coconut water, and unrefined virgin coconut oil, creating a combination that works well for wrapping both savory and sweet ingredients.

— grace dickinson, Philly.com, "Beyond bugs: 12 unique (and strange) ingredients at Mom's Organic Market and what to do with them," 16 May 2018

First Known Use of virgin

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 6

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

virgin Synonyms

Virgin

geographical name Vir·gin \ ˈvər-jən \

river 200 miles (322 kilometers) long in southwestern Utah and southeastern Nevada flowing to Lake Mead

VIRGIN Defined for English Language Learners

virgin

noun

: a person who has not had sexual intercourse
: a person who does not have experience in a particular activity, job, etc.

virgin

adjective

: never having had sexual intercourse
: not changed from a natural or original condition : not affected by human activity
of olive oil : obtained from the first light pressing of olives