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Continence vs Celibate - What's the difference?

continence | celibate |

As nouns the difference between continence and celibate

is that continence is the voluntary control of urination and defecation while celibate is one who is not married, especially one who has taken a religious vow not to get married, usually because of being a member of a religious community.

As an adjective celibate is

not married.

continence

English

Noun

(-)
  • The voluntary control of urination and defecation.
  • Moderation or self-restraint, especially in sexual activity; abstinence.
  • * (seeCites)
  • * Dryden
  • He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, — a continence which is practiced by few writers.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • Chastity is either abstinence or continence': abstinence is that of virgins or widows; ' continence , that of married persons.
  • Uninterrupted course; continuity.
  • (Ayliffe)

    Antonyms

    * incontinence

    References

    *

    celibate

    English

    Alternative forms

    *

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Not married.
  • (by extension) Abstaining from sexual relations and pleasures.
  • ''Members of religious communities sometimes take vows to remain celibate .

    Synonyms

    * (not married) unmarried, single * (abstaining from sex) abstinent, chaste, pure

    Derived terms

    * celibately

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who is not married, especially one who has taken a religious vow not to get married, usually because of being a member of a religious community.
  • (obsolete) A celibate state; celibacy.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • He preferreth holy celibate before the estate of marrige.

    See also

    * friar * monk

    Anagrams

    * *