CELIBATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does celibate mean? 

• CELIBATE (noun)
  The noun CELIBATE has 1 sense:

1. an unmarried person who has taken a religious vow of chastity

  Familiarity information: CELIBATE used as a noun is very rare.

• CELIBATE (adjective)
  The adjective CELIBATE has 1 sense:

1. abstaining from sexual intercourse

  Familiarity information: CELIBATE used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CELIBATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unmarried person who has taken a religious vow of chastity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("celibate" is a kind of...):

religious person (a person who manifests devotion to a deity)

Derivation:

celibate (abstaining from sexual intercourse)

• CELIBATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Abstaining from sexual intercourse

Synonyms:

celibate; continent

Context example:

celibate priests

Similar:

chaste (morally pure (especially not having experienced sexual intercourse))

Derivation:

celibate (an unmarried person who has taken a religious vow of chastity)

 Context examples 

They are a company of celibates, grinding harshly against one another and growing daily more calloused from the grinding.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)