deflower
[dih-flou-er]
- to deprive (a woman) of virginity.
- to despoil of beauty, freshness, sanctity, etc.
- to deprive or strip of flowers: The deer had deflowered an entire section of the garden.
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Origin of deflower
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
defileharmmarforcespoildesecrateravishruinseduceravagedespoilassaultdevourhaveoutragemolestviolatepossessdepredateExamples from the Web for deflower
Historical Examples
In Poland, the noblemen arrogated the right to deflower any maid they pleased, and a hundred lashes were given him who complained.
Woman under socialismAugust Bebel
For she deliberately sent down to the beach her daughter, who was of marriageable age, and prompted her father to deflower her.
The Danish History, Books I-IXSaxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Learned")
Individual inspiration was a sacred thing, which reality with its rules and prejudices could only spoil and deflower.
deflower
- to deprive of virginity, esp by rupturing the hymen through sexual intercourse
- to despoil of beauty, innocence, etc; mar; violate
- to rob or despoil of flowers
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for deflower
v.
late 14c., "deprive (a maiden) of her virginity," also "excerpt the best parts of (a book)," from Old French desflorer (13c., Modern French déflorer) "to deflower (a garden); to take the virginity of," from Late Latin deflorare, from de- (see de-) + flos "flower" (see flora). Notion is "to strip of flowers," hence "to ravish," which is the oldest sense in English.
The French Indians are said not to have deflowered any of our young women they captivated. [James Adair, "The Life of an Indian Trader," London, 1775]
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper