sworn virgin
/ˌswɔːn ˈvəːdʒɪn/Cultural Anthropol.
noun
In the western Balkans (chiefly in northern Albania and adjoining parts of Montenegro, Kosovo, and Macedonia): a female virgin who has publicly sworn an oath to remain celibate (or whose parents have so sworn on her behalf), and is thereby committed to adopt the role, responsibilities, and (usually) the clothing of a man.
- The most common reasons for this practice are the need (in a society in which females are traditionally not permitted to inherit property) for a household head and inheritor of the home in cases where no male is available, and the need to preserve the honour of both families in cases where a woman refuses to accept an arranged marriage..
Origin
Early 20th century. From sworn + virgin adjective, probably after Albanian regional (Gheg) virgjinë, virgjineshë, specifically uses respectively of virgjinë, virgjineshë, both in sense ‘female virgin’ (Albanian virgjër, virgjëreshë).
- Uniformity, Act of
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