virginal

1 of 2

adjective

vir·​gin·​al ˈvər-jə-nᵊl How to pronounce virginal (audio)
ˈvərj-nəl
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a virgin or virginity
especially : pure, chaste
a virginal young girl
2
: pristine, unsullied
a virginal snowfall
virginally adverb

virginal

2 of 2

noun

: a small rectangular spinet having no legs and only one wire to a note and popular in the 16th and 17th centuries
often used in plural

called also pair of virginals

virginalist
ˈvər-jə-nᵊl-ist How to pronounce virginal (audio)
ˈvərj-nə-list
noun

Examples of virginal in a Sentence

Adjective The land is still in its virginal state. one of the state's few remaining tracts of virginal prairie
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
That’s because our immune systems are no longer so virginal to the SARS-CoV-2, given previous exposure to its spike proteins via vaccination or natural infection. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 Forestis, Dolomites, Italy The roots of Forestis reach back to the 1910s, when the Austro-Hungarian monarchy began building a healing sanatorium amid the thick, virginal forest and mountain views of the Dolomites in northeastern Italy, now a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 June 2024
Noun
Many of the clinics that provide hymenoplasty also offer virginity testing, an examination of the genitalia that claims to determine the virginal (or otherwise) status of a woman. Neda Taghinejadi, Wired, 13 Feb. 2022 See all Example Sentences for virginal 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'virginal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from Latin virginalis of a virgin, from virgin-, virgo

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of virginal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near virginal

Cite this Entry

“Virginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virginal. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

virginal

1 of 2 adjective
vir·​gin·​al ˈvər-jən-ᵊl How to pronounce virginal (audio)
ˈvərj-nəl
: of, relating to, characteristic of, or suitable for a virgin
especially : chaste sense 1
virginally
adverb

virginal

2 of 2 noun
: a musical instrument resembling a small piano with no legs

Medical Definition

virginal

adjective
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a virgin or virginity

More from Merriam-Webster on virginal

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