virgin
virgin
UK[ˈvɜːdʒɪn]US[ˈvɜːrdʒɪn]
n
A person who has never had sexual intercourse.
n
A person who is naive, innocent, or inexperienced in a particular context.
adj
Being, relating to, or suitable for a virgin.
adj
In a pure or natural state; not yet used, touched, or exploited.
Etymology
The word 'virgin' entered English in the 13th century from the Anglo-French and Old French 'virgine', which derived from the Latin 'virgo' (genitive 'virginis'), meaning a maiden, an unmarried woman, or a sexually pure female. The Latin term is of uncertain deeper origin but may be related to 'virga', meaning a young shoot or twig, suggesting a connection to youth and freshness. Over time, the meaning expanded from its specific application to young women to encompass broader concepts of purity, inexperience, and untouched states, applicable to objects, territories, and abstract ideas.
Analysis
The word 'virgin' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
The legend tells of a knight sworn to protect the virgin princess.
She was a political virgin when she first entered the rough world of campaigning.
They hiked through acres of virgin forest untouched by loggers.