vestal

English

Etymology

From Latin Vesta, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-. More at was.

Pronunciation

• enPR: vĕs'təl, IPA^(key): /ˈvɛs.t(ə)l/
• Rhymes: -ɛstəl

Adjective

vestal (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to Vesta, the virgin goddess of the hearth.
2. Pure; chaste.
   • 1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts:

     Does money fail?—come to my mint—coin paper,
     Till gold be at a discount, and ashamed
     To show his bilious face, go purge himself,
     In emulation of her vestal whiteness.

Translations

of or pertaining to Vesta

• Georgian: ვესტალი (vesṭali)
• Irish: veisteach
• Russian: посвящённый (ru) (posvjaščónnyj) Весте (ru) (Veste)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: vestal

pure; chaste

• Georgian: უმანკო (umanḳo), უბიწო (ubic̣o)
• Irish: veisteach
• Russian: чи́стый (ru) (čístyj), непорочный (ru) (neporočnyj)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: vestal

Noun

vestal (plural vestals)

1. A virgin consecrated to Vesta, and to the service of watching the sacred fire, which was to be perpetually kept burning upon her altar.
2. A female virgin; a woman who has never had sexual relations.
3. A nun.

Translations

virgin consecrated to Vesta

• Irish: maighdean veisteach f
• Russian: веста́лка (ru) f (vestálka)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: vestal

female virgin

• Russian: де́вственница (ru) f (dévstvennica)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: vestal

nun

• Russian: мона́хиня (ru) f (monáxinja)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Anagrams

• lavest, valets, vastel

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Spanish

Adjective

vestal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vestales)

1. vestal (of or pertaining to Vesta)
2. vestal (pure, chaste)

Noun

vestal f (plural vestales)

1. vestal (virgin)