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Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary

38 3.9
The mother of Jesus who is highly honored in Christian churches
  • proper noun
: Virgen María
  • For us, men, and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Virgin Mary...
  • the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • statue of the Virgin Mary
  • the Holy Virgin Mary

So he on his poncho has imprinted the Blessed Virgin Mary's image on his tilma.

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Examples

  • I've been praying to the Virgin Mary.

  • In Catholic Nicaragua, the images of the mother and the Virgin Mary continue to be powerful symbols.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Look at the Virgin Mary.

  • No, but one of them did look like the Virgin Mary, now that you mention it.

  • But when I said she must be the Virgin Mary, she gave me such a look.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • There was also a painting of the Virgin Mary and one of the three kings worshipping the Christ Child.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I won a foot-high statue of the Virgin Mary, completely white, for a story I wrote about a saint.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Three shepherd children reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary, followed by miracles, prophesies.

  • On the campsite was a huge statue of the Virgin Mary enclosed in a hand-carved dark wooden shrine.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The church offers an important iconic ideal of motherhood: the Virgin Mary peacefully cradling a newborn baby.

Synonyms

Mary
vsVirgin Mary
196 1.0

The mother of Jesus, honoured especially in the Roman Catholic Church

is the same concept but highlighted as a revered figure by Catholics
the Virgin
vsVirgin Mary
  • Formal
51 6.0

A woman who is the mother of Jesus in Christian belief, especially honored by Catholics

is the broader reference used across Christian traditions, not only Catholic devotion
Blessed Virgin
vsVirgin Mary
  • Formal
7 7.3

A title for Mary, the mother of Jesus, used mainly by Christians, especially Catholics

is the common name used widely beyond formal church titles
Guadalupe
vsVirgin Mary
7 7.1

A title for the Virgin Mary and the famous shrine near Mexico City

is the general church name used beyond any single country
Madonna
vsVirgin Mary
6 6.6

A title used for Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Christian faith

is more closely tied to Catholic honor and specific church devotion
Theotokos
vsVirgin Mary
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A title or picture of Mary, the mother of Jesus, used in Eastern Christian churches

is focused on Western Catholic veneration rather than Eastern theological expression

Surface Forms

Morphology

virgin + Mary

The adjective 'virgin' can be extended to mean 'without alcohol' in beverage naming, so a learner who knows 'virgin' and that 'Mary' refers to the Bloody Mary cocktail could infer it is a non-alcoholic drink. However, this relies on cultural naming conventions (using 'virgin' for alcohol-free versions) and the proper noun 'Mary' does not itself indicate ingredients, so the meaning is partially but not fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Virgin Mary is the name used in Christianity because Mary is believed to have become the mother of Jesus while still a virgin. That's why she is called 'Virgin' and is honored as his mother.