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virginal

1
[ vur-juh-nl ]
/ ˈvɜr dʒə nl /
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adjective
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a virgin: virginal purity.
continuing in a state of virginity.
pure; unsullied; untouched: a virginal mountain stream.
Zoology. not fertilized.
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Origin of virginal

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Latin virginālis, equivalent to virgin-virgin + -ālis-al1

OTHER WORDS FROM virginal

vir·gin·al·ly, adverb

Words nearby virginal

virga, virgate, Virgil, Virgilian, virgin, virginal, virgin birth, virgin forest, Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, Virginia Beach

Other definitions for virginal (2 of 2)

virginal2
[ vur-juh-nl ]
/ ˈvɜr dʒə nl /
noun
Often virginals. a rectangular harpsichord with the strings stretched parallel to the keyboard, the earlier types placed on a table: popular in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Origin of virginal

2
First recorded in 1520–30; apparently special use of virginal1

OTHER WORDS FROM virginal

vir·gin·al·ist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to virginal

angelic, chaste, pristine, celibate, clean, continent, innocent, moral, nice, quiet, simple, stainless, vestal, virgin, clear, good, safe, upright, austere, cherry

How to use virginal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for virginal (1 of 2)

virginal1
/ (ˈvɜːdʒɪnəl) /
adjective
of, relating to, characterized by, proper to, or maintaining a state of virginity; chaste
extremely pure or fresh; untouched; undefiled

Derived forms of virginal

virginally, adverb

Word Origin for virginal

C15: from Latin virginālis maidenly, from virgō virgin

British Dictionary definitions for virginal (2 of 2)

virginal2
/ (ˈvɜːdʒɪnəl) /
noun
(often plural) a smaller version of the harpsichord, but oblong in shape, having one manual and no pedals

Derived forms of virginal

virginalist, noun

Word Origin for virginal

C16: probably from Latin virginālis virginal 1, perhaps because it was played largely by young ladies
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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