Word
chaste
US/ˈtʃeɪst/
UK/tʃˈeɪst/
Definition
adj. describing something that is modest, pure, or not sexual. It can also mean simple and not decorated with bright colors or patterns.
adj. characterised by modesty, purity, or sexual restraint. In an aesthetic context, it describes a style that is plain, restrained, and avoids excessive ornamentation.
Examples
“The room had a chaste, white decor.”
“The architect chose a chaste design for the chapel, focusing on natural light and simple stone walls.”
“The poet's chaste language avoided any direct references to the physical world, instead focusing on abstract metaphors to convey a sense of spiritual longing.”
Examples
simple
“The room had a chaste, white decor.”
contextual
“The architect chose a chaste design for the chapel, focusing on natural light and simple stone walls.”
complex
“The poet's chaste language avoided any direct references to the physical world, instead focusing on abstract metaphors to convey a sense of spiritual longing.”
Real-World Examples
“Our characters were loyal, chaste, involved in the friendship part of it … we never really had love affairs.” “The victims were typically white and heterosexual, with villains that seemed to punish sexually active women while allowing the chaste girls to live.” Etymology
From Middle English chaste, from Old French chaste (“morally pure”), from Latin castus (“pure”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/chaste