Celibacy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsɛləbəsi/

Definitions

1. The practice or state of refraining from marriage and sexual activity
2. The condition of choosing not to marry or engage in sexual relations
3. The voluntary avoidance of both marital and sexual involvement

Etymology: The Latin "caelebs" meant "unmarried," and it is the root of the English word through "caelibatus," a Latin noun meaning a single life. English took the word in the sense of an unmarried state, and the modern meaning of refraining from both marriage and sexual activity developed later. The shape of the English word, with its "-acy" ending, reflects the Latin noun ending "-atus" rather than the suffix "-ate" that appears in the word "celibate," which is the more familiar adjective and noun form. The Latin root "caelebs" itself is an ancient word for a person living without a spouse, and the Latin "caelibatus" was a noun built from it to name that condition. English adopted the noun and the adjective "celibate" in the same family, so the two words share a single origin while presenting different endings to speakers today.

Synonyms: abstinence, chastity

Antonyms: promiscuity, licentiousness