Chaste Definition:

An unmarried person who has never voluntarily had sexual intercourse.

In other words, an unmarried virgin.

In State v Kelley, Justice Gantt of the Supreme Court of Missouri adopted these words:

"Chaste is defined as pure from all unlawful commerce of sexes, applied to persons before marriage. It signifies pure from all sexual intercourse, undefiled."

More recently, in State v Brionez, Justice Smith of the Supreme Court of Nebraska defined chaste as:

"A woman who is chaste is one who has never had unlawful sexual intercourse with a male person.

"An act of sexual intercourse without her consent and against her will if she is capable of consent does not destroy her chastity."

REFERENCES:

• State v. Brionez, 197 NW 2d 639 (1972)
• State v Kelley, 90 S.W. 834 at page 838 (1905)