CategoryDoctrine / Birth and Purity Term
Modern Equivalentunmarried woman; sexually pure woman; virgin.
KJV Word TypeNoun / birth and purity term
DefinitionA virgin is one who has not known sexual relations. In the KJV, the word is especially important in prophecy and the birth narrative concerning Christ.
Key Verses"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14); "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel." (Matthew 1:23)
KJV Usage NoteCan refer generally to virginity or specifically to the prophetic and birth-narrative language surrounding Christ.
Common MisunderstandingIt should not be reduced to a generic young woman in the KJV birth-narrative context; the term carries the idea of virginity.
EtymologyFrom Latin virgo, meaning maiden or virgin.