chaste

Chaste is most commonly used to describe someone who refrains from sexual activity that’s considered immoral, especially according to the teachings of a certain religion.

The state or quality of being chaste is chastity.

The word chaste can also be used to describe someone who refrains from all sexual activity—someone who is celibate. When members of certain religions take a vow of chastity, this is usually what it means.

Chaste can also be used in a more general way to mean morally pure.

Example: When I went to Catholic high school, my religion teachers always emphasized the virtue of being chaste.

The first records of the word chaste come from around 1200. It comes from the Latin castus, meaning “pure.” The word caste comes from the same root.

Whether someone is considered morally pure or chaste heavily depends on cultural and religious norms, and the idea of chastity may differ from one religion to another or one person to another. In Christianity, the word chaste is typically used to describe those who avoid sexual activity outside of marriage or sexual activity without the goal of reproduction. Describing someone as unchaste is a moral judgment, and the person may take offense to this, especially if they don’t believe in the same set of morals. In many religions, the promotion of chastity has traditionally been directed more toward women, leading some people to criticize such lessons as sexist or oppressive.

What are some other forms related to chaste?

• unchaste (adjective)
• chastity (noun)

What are some synonyms for chaste?

• pure
• celibate
• abstinent

What are some words that share a root or word element with chaste? 

• chastity belt
• caste

What are some words that often get used in discussing chaste?

• virtue
• sex
• virginity
• innocent
• marriage
• remain

The word chaste is usually used in the context of religion, or in the criticism of religious teaching about such things.

Are you staying chaste because of your religion or because you want to?

— ANGEL TOPEDO 🤺 (@ThoughtPillow) September 7, 2020

Women don’t need to be polite all the time. We don’t need to be permanently professional. We don’t need to pretend to be chaste, innocent beings who blush at the idea of sex to make men comfortable. Don’t EVER feel obligated to make a man comfortable.

— Empress of the Demon Council (@formerlypissed) September 7, 2020

There's just something about a man in a well-tailored suit that makes me forget my name, religion, and pure chaste moral values

— FJ Thee REAL Racist (@FeministaJones) May 23, 2013