Definition and Pronunciation
Loss of virginity (pronounced: /lɒs əv ˌvɜrdʒɪˈnɪti/) is a phrase that refers to the first experience of sexual intercourse, after which a person is no longer considered a virgin. The phrase often carries strong cultural, emotional, and religious significance, tied to ideas of purity, maturity, and morality.
Easy Explanation
“Loss of virginity” means having sex for the first time. For example, when someone’s first sexual experience happens—inside or outside marriage—they are said to have lost their virginity.
Grammatical Formation
- Noun phrase: loss (end of possession) + of virginity (state of being a virgin).
- Related terms: first sexual experience, defloration (formal/archaic).
Word Comparisons
- Loss of virginity vs. first sex: first sex = neutral, everyday phrase; loss of virginity = more cultural and moral weight.
- Loss of virginity vs. defloration: defloration = older, formal term emphasizing physical rupture of the hymen (focused on women); loss of virginity = broader, modern usage.
- Loss of virginity vs. sexual initiation: initiation = often ceremonial, cultural, or symbolic; loss of virginity = more literal.
Connotations
- Neutral: first-time experience of sex.
- Cultural/religious: symbolic, moral, sometimes tied to honor or purity.
- Emotional: can be joyful, confusing, or traumatic depending on context.
Meaning with Prepositions
- Loss of virginity at: loss of virginity at a young age.
- Loss of virginity before: loss of virginity before marriage.
- Loss of virginity after: loss of virginity after wedding night.
Real-Life Examples
- Many cultures emphasize the loss of virginity as a turning point.
- The film tells the story of a teenager’s loss of virginity.
- She associated her loss of virginity with love, not shame.
- Religious groups discourage the loss of virginity before marriage.
Synonyms
first sexual experience, defloration, sexual initiation, sexual debut, first intercourse, losing virginity
Antonyms
virginity, chastity, purity, abstinence, celibacy
Related Terms
- Chastity – sexual purity.
- Abstinence – choosing not to have sex.
- Defloration – archaic term for a woman’s loss of virginity.
- Premarital sex – sex before marriage.
Common Collocations
- loss of virginity before marriage
- loss of virginity at a young age
- loss of virginity in adolescence
- loss of virginity in literature
- loss of virginity as rite of passage
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
- Loss of virginity as rite of passage: symbolic transition into adulthood.
- Loss of virginity in literature: theme of innocence versus experience.
- Loss of virginity as taboo: treated as sensitive or shameful in some cultures.
Sample Sentences
- He spoke openly about his loss of virginity during college years.
- The character’s loss of virginity is central to the novel’s theme of maturity.
- She regretted her loss of virginity under pressure from peers.
- In some traditions, loss of virginity is tied to family honor.
Connection to Sexuality
Yes, directly. “Loss of virginity” is a sexual concept referring to the first act of intercourse. It is deeply linked to cultural and religious debates about purity, morality, gender expectations, and personal choice.
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