Where does “virginal” come from?
Virginal comes from Middle French virginal, from Latin virginalis, combining Latin virgo with the adjectival suffix -alis, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European -li-.
virginal (English): Being or resembling a virgin; Uncontaminated or...
Definitions
- Being or resembling a virgin; Uncontaminated or...
Ancestry of “virginal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | virginal | — |
| 2 | Latin | virginalis | maidenly; of or pertaining to a maiden or virgin |
| 3 | Latin | virgō | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | παρθένος | maidenly; chaste; young, unmarried woman; maiden |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pstḗn | breast, teat |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |