chaste

Adjective

chaste (comparative chaster, superlative chastest)

1. Sexually pure, abstaining from immoral or unlawful sexual intercourse.
   • When we consider the great excellence of chaste wedlock, Venerable Brethren, it appears all the more regrettable that particularly in our day we should witness this divine institution often scorned and on every side degraded.1930 December 31, Pius XI, Casti Connubii, §44
   • Theirs was a chaste marriage, loving and content.
2. Synonym of celibate, abstaining from any sexual intercourse.
   • Theirs was a chaste marriage, cold and sexless.

   Synonyms:

   celibate, abstaining from any sexual intercourse

3. Synonym of virginal, innocent, having or providing no sexual knowledge or experience.
   • Then way what loſſe your honor may ſuſtaine
     If with too credent eare you liſt his ſongs
     Or looſe your hart, or your chaſt treaſure open
     To his vnmaſtred importunity.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604...
   • Her upbringing had been so chaste that her first experience French kissing ended in a panicked dash to the Piggly Wiggly to buy a home pregnancy test, just in case.

   Synonyms:

   virginal, innocent, having or providing no sexual knowledge or experience

4. Synonym of modest, particularly (sexism) in reference to behavior expected of sexually pure women.
   • ... but the cars of chaste women have either coverings thrown over them, or white sheets hung over; for instance, on the cars of the female part of the family of the deceased Nawabs Khanduran and Muzaffar Khan, there used generally to be fastened thick dirty white cloths, and in like manner also on...1871, Sher Ali Afsos, translated by Henry Court, The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, page 31
   • I ask again what reason could a chaste woman possibly have for being out so late? and in that part of town?
     Your Honor, we repeat our motion that you recuse yourself from this case.

   Synonyms:

   modest, particularly

5. (usually) Synonym of austere, plain, unextravagant, particularly demure, sexually discreet.
   • The chaste style of most early modern novels is elegant but intensely boring, particularly for teenagers too inexperienced to effectively read between the lines.

   Synonyms:

   austere, bare, inornate, modest, plain, quiet, severe, simple, spartan, unadorned