Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of the priestesses who tended the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta in ancient Rome and remained celibate during their servitude.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun literally a virgin dedicated to the service of the goddess Vesta
  • noun a chaste woman

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin; virgines Vestales referred to the priestesses in charge of the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta in Rome

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