What does virgin mean?
Virgin most commonly means a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, although the word also has broader figurative uses. As an adjective, it can describe something untouched, unused, new, or previously unexplored: virgin territory might be land no one has mapped, while virgin material may be unused raw material. In its traditional moral or religious contexts, the word can imply chastity or purity, but in modern everyday use it often focuses simply on sexual inexperience. Virgin may also refer metaphorically to someone new to an activity or situation, such as a politician entering a previously unknown political environment. The word is used in both British and American English. Its precise meaning depends on context, and its person-related sense may be perceived as old-fashioned or priggish, whereas its figurative senses are usually neutral and useful.
A person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse; by extension, someone who is inexperienced in a particular activity or situation.
"The novel portrays a young woman determined to remain a virgin until she finds love."
The term can sound formal, traditional, or judgmental, and figurative uses often refer to inexperience rather than sexual status.
To make or treat as virgin; to use or encounter for the first time.
"The companyvirgined a new line of engines during its first test."
This use is rare and literary rather than part of ordinary modern English.
Having never engaged in sexual intercourse; chaste, untouched, unused, new, or previously unexplored.
"The scientists carefully collected samples from the virgin ice."
The figurative senses are especially common in British and American English, often describing territory, natural resources, or materials.
The plural is formed by adding -s to the singular noun.
"The interview challenged the myths surrounding virgins and their sexual choices."
Virgin originally referred to a maiden or an untouched young woman; its modern sexual sense is only one of several meanings the word has carried.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How virgin is actually used
In modern usage, virgin usually refers to a person who has not had sexual intercourse, especially in a traditional or moral context. It can sound formal, archaic, or judgmental when applied to a person, but the adjective is common in figurative expressions such as virgin territory and virgin material. The verb is rare and literary.
Easily confused with virgin
A virgin is a person or thing that is chaste, untouched, unused, or new, whereas virginal most often means relating to virginity or, in musical terminology, resembling the timbre of the virginal.