The word "virgin" historically carried a dual meaning; it denoted both a woman who hadn't engaged in sexual relations and could also emphasize her unmarried status, regardless of her sexual experience.
In more detail:
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Primary Meaning: Lack of Sexual Experience: The core definition of "virgin" has consistently referred to someone, typically a woman, who has not had sexual intercourse. This remains the most common and widely understood meaning.
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Secondary Meaning: Unmarried Status (with an Emphasis on Chastity): The word could also be used to highlight that a woman was unmarried, implicitly suggesting (or explicitly stating) that she was also chaste. This usage added a layer of social significance, as a woman's virginity was often tied to her marriageability and societal value. The reference provided also mentioned it could be used to stress one wasn't married, whether they had had sex in the physical sense or not.
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Evolution of Meaning: Over time, "virgin" also acquired more abstract connotations, encompassing ideas of purity, innocence, and chastity, extending beyond the strictly physical definition.
Therefore, while the primary definition focused on sexual experience, the word "virgin" could indeed also function to denote unmarried status, particularly in historical contexts where a woman's virginity and marital status were closely intertwined.
