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chasteté

chastity, celibacy

noun shahs-teh-TEH Rare
People & Society Religion

Origin: Latin castitas

Usage Note

Chasteté refers to sexual abstinence or purity, especially in a religious context — vœu de chasteté ('vow of chastity') is one of the three traditional vows of religious orders. The adjective is chaste. Outside religious discourse the word can carry an ironic or literary tone.

Examples

"Il avait prononcé un vœu de chasteté."

Natural Translation

He had taken a vow of chastity.

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