1. [n]  the sixth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about August 23 to September 22
2. [n]  (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Virgo
3. [n]  a person who has never had sex
4. [adj]  in a state of sexual virginity; "pure and vestal modesty"; "a spinster or virgin lady"; "men have decreed that their women must be pure and virginal"
5. [adj]  being used or worked for the first time; "virgin wool"

1. \Vir"gin\, n. [L. virgo, -inis: cf. OF. virgine, virgene,
   virge, vierge, F. vierge.]
   1. A woman who has had no carnal knowledge of man; a maid.
   
   2. A person of the male sex who has not known sexual
      indulgence. [Archaic] --Wyclif.
   
            These are they which were not defiled with women;
            for they are virgins.                 --Rev. xiv. 4.
   
            He his flesh hath overcome; He was a virgin, as he
            said.                                 --Gower.
   
   3. (Astron.) See {Virgo}.
   
   4. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of gossamer-winged
      butterflies of the family {Lyc[ae]nid[ae]}.
   
   5. (Zo["o]l.) A female insect producing eggs from which young
      are hatched, though there has been no fecundation by a
      male; a parthenogenetic insect.
   
   {The Virgin}, or {The Blessed Virgin}, the Virgin Mary, the
      Mother of our Lord.
   
   {Virgin's bower} (Bot.), a name given to several climbing
      plants of the genus {Clematis}, as {C. Vitalba} of Europe,
      and {C. Virginiana} of North America.
   
   

2. \Vir"gin\, a.
   1. Being a virgin; chaste; of or pertaining to a virgin;
      becoming a virgin; maidenly; modest; indicating modesty;
      as, a virgin blush. ``Virgin shame.'' --Cowley.
   
            Innocence and virgin modesty . . . That would be
            wooed, and unsought be won.           --Milton.
   
   2. Pure; undefiled; unmixed; fresh; new; as, virgin soil;
      virgin gold. ``Virgin Dutch.'' --G. W. Cable.
   
            The white cold virgin snow upon my heart. --Shak.
   
            A few ounces of mutton, with a little virgin oil.
                                                  --Landor.
   
   3. Not yet pregnant; impregnant. --Milton.
   
   

3. \Vir"gin\, v. i.
   To act the virgin; to be or keep chaste; -- followed by it.
   See {It}, 5. [Obs.] ``My true lip hath virgined it e'er since
   [that kiss].'' --Shak.
   
   

Unused; pristine; in a known initial state. "Let's bring up a virgin system and see if it crashes again." (Especially useful after contracting a virus through sex.) Also, by extension, buffers and the like within a program that have not yet been used.

[jargon file]

In a prophecy concerning our Lord, Isaiah (7:14) says, "A virgin [R.V. marg., 'the virgin'] shall conceive, and bear a son" (comp. Luke 1:31-35). The people of the land of Zidon are thus referred to by Isaiah (23:12), "O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon;" and of the people of Israel, Jeremiah (18:13) says, "The virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing."