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Spinster vs Chaste - What's the difference?

spinster | chaste | Related terms |

Spinster is a related term of chaste.


As a noun spinster

is a woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.

As an adjective chaste is

abstaining from sexual intercourse, celibate.

spinster

English

(wikipedia spinster)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.
  • * Coke
    • If a gentlewoman be termed a spinster , she may abate the writ.
  • One who spins (puts a spin on) a political media story so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance; a spin doctor, spin merchant or spin master.
  • (obsolete) Someone whose occupation was spinning thread.
  • * ~1601 , William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night , act II, scene IV:
    • The spinsters and the knitters in the sun.
  • (obsolete) A woman of evil life and character; so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction.
  • (rare) A spider; an insect (such as a silkworm) which spins thread.
    • (Webster 1913)

    Synonyms

    * old maid

    See also

    * bachelor * widow * divorcee ----

    chaste

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • abstaining from sexual intercourse, celibate
  • virginal, innocent, having had no sexual experience
  • simple, austere, undecorative
    • a chaste style in composition or art
  • modest, decent, morally pure
    • a chaste''' mind; '''chaste eyes

    Usage notes

    * Married couples are often exhorted to have "chaste sex"--compare the Vatican encyclical Casti Connubii (Of Chaste Wedlock ).

    Derived terms

    * chastity

    See also

    * pure

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----