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celibate
[ sel-uh-bit, -beyt ]
/ ˈsɛl ə bɪt, -ˌbeɪt /
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noun
a person who abstains from sexual relations.
a person who remains unmarried, especially for religious reasons.
adjective
observing or pertaining to sexual abstention or a religious vow not to marry.
not married.
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Origin of celibate
OTHER WORDS FROM celibate
non·cel·i·bate, adjectiveun·cel·i·bate, adjectiveWords nearby celibate
Celia, celiac, celiac disease, celiac plexus, celibacy, celibate, Céline, celioscope, celiotomy, cell, cella
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use celibate in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for celibate
celibate
/ (ˈsɛlɪbɪt) /
noun
a person who is unmarried, esp one who has taken a religious vow of chastity
adjective
unmarried, esp by vow
abstaining from sexual intercourse
Derived forms of celibate
celibacy, nounWord Origin for celibate
C17: from Latin caelibātus, from caelebs unmarried, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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