Concept in Definition ABC

The word chaste has several meanings. First, it indicates the breed or lineage of an animal. It also expresses a social class determined. Can be used synonymously with social group in a derogatory sense. Finally, caste is an adjective that corresponds to the concept of chastity.

In relation to animals

If we think of an animal, we must take into account its classification how to be alive. Each animal belongs to a species, a subspecies and a certain race. To refer to the lineage of a certain animal, the word caste is used. The physical characteristics of an animal's ancestors will condition the qualities of its descendants.

Regarding the crosses that are made to obtain breeds of quality of some domestic animals the term encaste is used, something very common in the techniques of reproduction in livestock.

Castes in India

The social organization in India it is based on a caste system. This system is based on a classification of individuals in closed social groups. This form of social organization is inspired by Hinduism, a religious doctrine in which each caste or group is considered to have a specific role in the whole of society.

The main castes are the following: the priests or Brahmans, the leaders or chatria, the merchants or Vaishias and, finally, the most humble people or Shudras. To the margin From the caste system there is another social class, the untouchables or pariahs, known as Dalits. In culture traditional in India people who belong to the lower castes are considered unclean.

The qualifier caste as a derogatory term

With some frequency the word caste is used in a derogatory sense to refer to an endogamous and closed group that normally enjoys certain privileges. Class politics sometimes it is classified as a caste.

Chaste woman

A person is said to be chaste when he is considered pure. This qualifier has been used in relation to women, since a chaste woman is one who is a virgin, that is, who practices chastity, a characteristic that has historically been highly valued but no longer has the same meaning.

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