Where does “virginity” come from?
Virginity comes from Old French virginite, derived from Latin virginitas, formed with the Latin suffix -tas from Latin virginis (genitive of virgo, maiden), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -teh₂.
virginity (English): The state or characteristic of being a virgin
Definitions
- The state or characteristic of being a virgin
Ancestry of “virginity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | virginite | virginity (state of being a virgin) |
| 2 | Latin | virginitās | virginity, maidenhood |
| 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 |