Definition and Pronunciation
Virginity until marriage (pronounced: /vərˈdʒɪnɪti ənˈtɪl ˈmærɪdʒ/) is a phrase describing the cultural, moral, or religious practice of remaining sexually abstinent until entering into marriage. It emphasizes chastity, purity, and sexual restraint as virtues expected of individuals, especially women, in many societies.
Easy Explanation
“Virginity until marriage” means not having sex before getting married. For example, some people choose or are expected to save their first sexual experience for their spouse after marriage.
Grammatical Formation
- Noun + Prepositional phrase: virginity (the state of never having had sex) + until marriage.
- Related concepts: chastity before marriage, premarital abstinence.
Word Comparisons
- Virginity until marriage vs. chastity: chastity = general sexual purity; virginity until marriage = specific practice of waiting until marriage.
- Virginity until marriage vs. celibacy: celibacy = lifelong abstinence; virginity until marriage = abstinence only before marriage.
- Virginity until marriage vs. purity culture: purity culture = larger social/religious system enforcing virginity until marriage.
Connotations
- Positive (in traditional/religious views): virtuous, honorable, sacred.
- Neutral: a personal choice for abstinence.
- Negative (in critical views): restrictive, patriarchal, controlling.
Meaning with Prepositions
- Virginity until marriage in: virginity until marriage in conservative cultures.
- Virginity until marriage for: virginity until marriage for both men and women.
- Virginity until marriage as: virginity until marriage as a symbol of purity.
Real-Life Examples
- Her family strongly believed in virginity until marriage.
- Many religious groups promote virginity until marriage as a moral ideal.
- The debate on virginity until marriage reflects changing cultural values.
- He pledged to keep his virginity until marriage as part of his faith.
Synonyms
premarital abstinence, chastity before marriage, sexual purity, abstinence until marriage, premarital virginity
Antonyms
premarital sex, sexual freedom, promiscuity, non-virginity before marriage
Related Terms
- Purity pledge – a vow to remain abstinent until marriage.
- Chastity – sexual purity in thought and action.
- Virginity myth – cultural misconceptions around virginity.
- Purity culture – religious/social systems promoting abstinence.
Common Collocations
- virginity until marriage pledge
- virginity until marriage in religion
- virginity until marriage as tradition
- virginity until marriage campaign
- virginity until marriage expectation
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
- Virginity until marriage vow: symbolic promise of purity.
- Virginity until marriage movement: social push for abstinence.
- Virginity until marriage as virtue: framed as moral superiority.
Sample Sentences
- She vowed to keep her virginity until marriage as a matter of faith.
- Virginity until marriage has been a central value in many cultures.
- Critics argue that virginity until marriage creates unequal standards for men and women.
- He respected her decision to preserve her virginity until marriage.
Connection to Sexuality
Yes, directly. “Virginity until marriage” is rooted in sexual morality, emphasizing abstinence and the idea of purity before marital intimacy. It is strongly tied to cultural and religious beliefs about sexuality.
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