different between celibate vs wifeless

English

Alternative forms

• cælibate (archaic)

Etymology

From French célibat, from Latin caelibatus, perfect passive participle of caelibare, from caelebs (“unmarried”), compare German Zölibat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?l?b?t/

Adjective

celibate (not comparable)

1. Not married.
2. (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

Hyponyms

• incel
• volcel

Derived terms

• celibately

Translations

Noun

celibate (plural celibates)

1. 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.
2. (obsolete) A celibate state; celibacy.

   • He […] preferreth holy celibate before the estate of marriage.

Synonyms

• volcel
• cel

Translations

Verb

celibate (third-person singular simple present celibates, present participle celibating, simple past and past participle celibated)

1. (rare) To practice celibacy

Related terms

• celibacy

See also

• bachelor
• friar (brother)
• monk
• nun (sister)

Anagrams

• cable tie, cabletie, citeable

English

Etymology

From Middle English wifles, wyflees, from Old English w?fl?as (“wifeless”), equivalent to wife +? -less.

Adjective

wifeless (not comparable)

1. Having no wife; unmarried or celibate.
2. Without a wife present.

Translations