agapetae

plural noun

aga·​pe·​tae

ˌä-gə-ˈpā-ˌtī,

ˌa-gə-;

ˌa-gə-ˈpē-ˌtē

: women of the early church who lived under a vow of chastity in the same house with men bound to strict celibacy

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Late Greek agapētai, plural of agapētē, from Greek, feminine of agapētos beloved, desirable, to be acquiesced in, from agapan to welcome, love

First Known Use

circa 1823, in the meaning defined above

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