celibacy

[ sel-uh-buh-see ]
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noun
  1. abstention from sexual relations.

  2. abstention by vow from marriage: the celibacy of priests.

  1. the state of being unmarried.

Origin of celibacy

1
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin caelibā(tus) “celibacy” (caelib-, stem of caelebs “single” + -ātus -ate3) + -cy

Other words from celibacy

  • cel·i·bat·ic [sel-uh-bat-ik], /ˌsɛl əˈbæt ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby celibacy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use celibacy in a sentence