celibacy
Americannoun
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abstention from sexual relations.
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abstention by vow from marriage.
the celibacy of priests.
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the state of being unmarried.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of celibacy
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin caelibā(tus) “celibacy” ( caelib-, stem of caelebs “single” + -ātus -ate 3 ) + -cy
Explanation
When you abstain from sex, you're practicing celibacy. Roman Catholic priests and nuns take a vow of celibacy, and the practice is not uncommon in other religions, too. The idea is often that sexual relations, marriage, and children are a distraction that keep you from fully devoting yourself to the spiritual life. You can also use celibacy more generally to refer to the state of being single or unmarried.
Vocabulary lists containing celibacy
"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
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“On Civil Disobedience” by Mohandas K. Gandhi
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The Girls I've Been
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Celibacy, Catholicism teaches, is also considered a spiritual discipline created for the good of the church.
From Washington Post • Mar. 9, 2023
Celibacy used to offend family-values conservatism; now it offends equally against the opposite spirit.
From New York Times • Feb. 23, 2019
Celibacy is a cornerstone of Catholic religious life, as is sexual purity among nuns.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 1, 2019
In "The Tragedy of Celibacy — The Death of the Wife," Lajcha called celibacy a "festering wound" in the church and said that making it voluntary could also help prevent sex scandals.
From Fox News • Sep. 21, 2018
Celibacy was the only state she had known.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
