A person who practices celibacy, especially a man; this term has French origins and carries a slightly literary or formal tone.
From French 'célibataire', derived from Latin 'caelebs' (unmarried). The French form was adopted into English in the 18th-19th centuries to describe unmarried individuals with philosophical or religious commitment.
This French word entered English during the Romantic era when writers wanted a more sophisticated term than simple 'bachelor'—it implies intentional choice rather than just lacking a spouse.
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