Middle English Dictionary Entry
virǧī̆n(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | virǧī̆n(e n. Also virgen, vergin(e, vurgin, wirgin(n)e, wirgene, (N) vergne; pl. virgines, etc. & (N) virgnis, (early SWM) virgnes. |
| Etymology | OF virgin(e, virgene, virgne, vergene, AF wirgin, vars. of OF virge n.; also cp. L virgo, -inis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A young unmarried woman without (or presumptively without) sexual experience, a maiden; also fig. and in fig. context;
(b) a person of either sex without sexual experience; a woman who has never had sexual intercourse; also [quot. a1450], ?a woman having the characteristics of a virgin; ?a woman whose virginity is perpetually renewed;—used of the houri in the Muslim paradise.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.11000 Virg.(LdMisc 108)1 : Ondleuene þousend of virgines for ore louerd i-martrede were.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.25.1 : The kyngdam of heuenes shal be lic to ten virgynys [WB(2): virgyns].
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)590 : For hyr solace & hyr game Fyue virgnis sal be with ȝou.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)727 : Þe fyue vergnis at þer werke he fande, & mary at hyr boke prayhande.
- ?1435(1432) Lydg.Hen.VI Entry (Jul B.2)204 : Thes sevyn virgyns [vr. virgens] With herte, body, and handes reioysynge…appered murely.
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)67/15 : Þe holi cherch of God is a chaste vergine, þe glorious spouse of Criste wiþout spot or ronkle.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.37 : Ligurgus…commaundede also virgynes [Trev.: maydens; L Virgines] to be mariede with owte eny dowery.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)182/23 : The day of the solempne of hir feste all the ladyes and virgynes of the londe…shulde…do all the pleasir that any man wolde requre theim.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)162 : Than may I sey thus, and begynne Wyth fyve prudent vyrgyns of my reme: Thow be þe fyve wyttys of my sowll wythinne.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)16/29 : All othyr vyrgenes called hor qwene of maydens.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)57/291a : Virgo, virginicula: a wyrgynne.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)794/6 : Virgo: vergyn.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.1.23 : A virgyne shal haue in wombe, and she shal bere a sone.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.52 : Adam and Eve also Virgines comen…Into the world.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)821 : Scho ys clene vergne ȝytt.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)69/13 : Euery man shal haue iiiixx wyuis and maydenys, and with hem he shal ly by whan he wele and eueremore he shal fyndyn hem virgynes.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)140/6,12 : Ho so wil be chaste, and is no virgine, he must drie up þe erthely grenes of likynges & flesshly lustes…Thus, sister, a man may be chaste þat is no virgine.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.36 : He dyssenddyt frome his glorie above Into a chast wombe of a wyrgene clere.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)56 : Owt of paradyse when þey paste Clene vyrgenys were þey bothe.
2.
(a) A person of either sex who deliberately chooses to remain in a state of physical virginity; also, one who is free of both sexual experience and sexual thoughts; also, one who voluntarily abstains from sexual relations (with some persons, though not with all) [quot. a1470];
(b) eccl. a female saint characterized by virginity, and attributed a sanctity equivalent to that of a martyr or confessor; also used as an epithet for such a saint; also, a religious holiday dedicated to a virgin saint [last quot.]; holi ~;
(c) pl. with ref. to Apoc.14.4: the virgins who follow the Lamb.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8913 : Virgine of his bodi he was, Whom seþþen þe holi Godes gras Rauist into þe þridde heuen.
- c1330 Assump.Virg.(2) (Auch)49 : Virgine ȝhe was also: þat is heiere þan…Wif oþer maidenhede, For woman mai lese virginite Wiȝ wille and þout…Wiȝouten flesschlich dede, But maidenhod mai non bi lorn…Wiȝouten mannes mone.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.7.25 : Of virgyns I haue not precept of God.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.950 : Virginitee baar oure lord Iesu Crist and virgine was hym selue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24685 : He ledis lijf lik til angels, For uirgins all ar þai.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) Prol.John(1) (Roy 1.C.8)4.23 : Joon euangelist…is a virgyn chosun of God, whom God clepide fro the sposeilis, whanne he wolde be weddid.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)35/25 : Diane, that is the mone…yeueth chaste condicion; and thei named it after a ladi…the which was ful chaste and was euer a virgin.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.155 : Maydenhod and virginite Ne ben not bothe In on degre…For bothe Man & Womman that virgines be Ne thowhte neuere Amys In non degree of Bodily lust to ony luxure.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)748 : All on vertu sett was hir affeccion, Euer bydynge styll in on perfeccyon, A pure virgyne to hir lyves endyng.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)140/16 : He þat wille be a virgine, he must in þe bigynnyng of age of discrecioun…refreyne þe kyndly stiringes of corrupcioun of nature.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)96/4 : This Herry had a wif þei cleped Chymegundis, and þei both be on asent kept hem virgines al her lyf.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)799/22 : For all women sir Bors was a vergyne sauff for one, that was the doughter of kynge Braundegorys, and on her he gate a chylde whyche hyght Elayne.
- c1475 Lydg.KEng.(2) (Hrl 372)94 : Blissed Edward entrith trewe enherytour xxiiijte yeer as mayde & pure virgyne.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)165/37 : He was euer a virgine and ladde an heremytis lyf in desert.
- a1500 St.Jerome (Lamb 432)332/32 : To his ende he lyvid a virgyne.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)185 : Ðar haueð…martirs and confessors and uirgines maked faier bode inne to wunien.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)35/1 : Swa hie dede alle ðe hali confessores and ðe hali uirgines all ðat hie ðoleden ðurh hire.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2302 : Fair was þat processioun…Of Martirs and of confessours, and of virgines þer-to.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.181 : Þere resteþ Mathias and prophetes also…also confessours…and virgines, Agatha and Lucia.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.75 : Þe sonday next after þe feste of seint ffathe þe virgine.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8270 : She ys callede Seynt Iustyne, A martyr and an holy vyrgyne.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)27/12 : Seynt Poule…held alle þynges of þe world as drit…and þus diden martirs and virgines.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6235 : Full many a seynt in feeld and toune, With many a virgine glorious, Deuoute, and full religious, Han deied.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)210/27 : Þu preyist Kateryn, Margarete, & alle holy virginys to wolcomyn me in þi sowle.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.204 : The procuratours…shall dueli, plainli, and effectualli hold…the Obites of the saide Thomas and Johanne the tewesdai afoor the feste of seint Lucie Virgine and Martir.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.287 : The body of Seynte Withburga, virgyn and doȝhter of Anna, kynge of Este Ynglische…was founde incorrupte at Dirham.
- a1500 Mirk Fest.Revis.(Hrl 2247)74/37 : Beforn hym on his right hande shall stonde all þe hole company of heuenly spirites…appostelles, martirs, confessoures, and virgyns.
- 1618(1440) Invent.Cumberworth in Peacock EChurch Furniture184 : Item, 3 Westmentes, one of white Worstede for lentyn & virgines.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)121/1069 : Mine feolaes…folhið him ouer al iþe feire ferreden of uirgines [Bod: uirgnes] in heouene.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.109 : Þat ben þai þat ne ben nouȝth filed wiþ wymmen, forwhi þai ben virgines [vr. vergynes], & þai folowen þe Lombe þere þat he gooþ.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.14.4 : Thes…ben not defoulid with wymmen; sotheli thei ben virgynes.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1099 : I watz war of a prosessyoun; Þis noble cite of ryche enpresse Watz, sodanly full wythouten sommoun Of such vergynez… Þe Lombe byfore con proudly passe.
- c1400 Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)27/56 : Loke þat sche be-hoolde…þe daunce of holy virgynys.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)107/6 : Fro þat tyme in whech he was take fro þe world, a-non was he set a-mongis þe dauns of virgynes.
3.
The Virgin Mary;—freq. in epithets; marie (the) ~, seinte marie ~, the ~ marie, the blessed ~, etc.; the ~ sone, the son of the Virgin, Christ.
Associated quotations
- a1225 Seinte marie clane (Roy 5.F.7)1 : Sainte marie uirgine…onfo, schild, help þin godric.
- a1350 Nou skrynkeþ (Hrl 2253)28 : On o ledy myn hope is, moder ant virgyne.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.38 : By þe throne þat he sitteþ vpon is bitokned þe flesshe þat he took of þe virgine marie.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.47 : Thow, virgyne wemmelees, Bar of thy body and dweltest mayde pure The creatour of euery creature.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1773 : The godhede Assembled was to the manhede In the virgine.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)863 : Vyrgyne Marie…bare þe beleue vp stedfastly.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24977 : I tru…in ihesu crist his anlepi sun, vr lauerd þat was conceiud o þe hali gast, born o þe virgine marie.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)26/2 : Þe troone is þe fleische þat he took of Marie þe virgyn [vr. wirgyne].
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4370 : His fete er like latoun bright…And þis was þat Iohan saw in a vision Of hym þat semed þe virgyn son.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)1 : Modir of god, and virgyne vndeffouled!
- (1439) Will in Anc.1014 : I betake my soule to almyghty god…to his blessed modir mary vurgyn, and to all the holy company of hevyn.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5873 : Þis ilke enperour Sauer Regned her seuentene ȝer, Syn Crist cam of þe vyrgyne, Nyne score ȝer euene, & nyne.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer ABC (Benson-Robinson)4 : Glorious virgine [vr. virgynne], of alle floures flour, To thee I flee, confounded in errour.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)991/29 : The Holy Goste shewed hym the commynge of the glorius Virgyne Mary.
- a1475 Of alle þe bryddus (Brog 2.1)25 : Hayle be þu! now wyrgyne clere, The holly gost lyȝt þe witt-In.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)301 : The Emperesse, þat conceivid, was þe blissid virgine.
4.
Astron. & astrol. The zodiacal sign Virgo;—sometimes with article: the ~.
Associated quotations
- ?c1400 Sloane SSecr.(Sln 213)17/13 : Acounte þe letteres of þo names by þe noumber of his Abece, And…departe it by eght and twenty; And if one or tuo leue ouer, þan þat þou sekes longes to þe Weþer…And if thrittene or fourtene, þan longes it to þe Virgyn.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4 : Phebus passed was þe ram…And Satourn old…In virgyne taken had his place.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)575 : Nest thise…xij dwellyng placys Sundryly apperyd…The twelue syngnys off the yere…As the Ram, the qwyght Bole…The Crab, the Lyon, the Vyrgyne, [etc.].
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)109/5 : Whanne þe sunne in tyme of ȝeere bigynneþ to drawe donward, þan he reigneþ in a place þat we clepen virgyn…for þat tyme of ȝeer is nat fructuous.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)130/26 : Qwo-so ete of þe bayis of þis herbe in þe wanynge of þe mone quanne it is in þe sygne of virgine…he schall ben hool.
5.
The word ‘virgin’ as a heading in a concordance.
Associated quotations
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)93a : Maiden: loke in ‘virgine’.
6.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames364 : Simon Virg’.
- (1431) Feudal Aids 4427 : Johannes Virgyn.