「貞潔、純潔、處女，維斯塔女祭司的特徵」，1590年代，最初（15世紀初）指「屬於或奉獻給Vesta」（參見），羅馬爐灶與家庭女神，來自拉丁語vestalis。
名詞自15世紀中期起錄得，為Vestal virgin（拉丁語virgines Vestales）的縮寫，指四位（後來六位）負責神聖火焰的女祭司，據說是由埃涅阿斯從特洛伊殘骸中帶來，供奉於羅馬維斯塔神殿。自1580年代起，泛指任何處女或貞潔的女性。
They entered the service of the goddess at from six to ten years of age, their term of service lasting thirty years. They were then permitted to retire and to marry, but few did so, for, as vestals, they were treated with great honor, and had important public privileges. Their persons were inviolable, any offense against them being punished with death, and they were treated in all their relations with the highest distinction and reverence. A vestal who broke her vow of chastity was immured alive in an underground vault amid public mourning. There were very few such instances; in one of them, under Domitian, the chief of the vestals was put to death under a false charge trumped up by the emperor. [Century Dictionary]
她們在六到十歲時進入女神的服務，服務期持續三十年。然後她們被允許退休並結婚，但很少有人這樣做，因為作為維斯塔女祭司，她們受到極大的榮耀，並擁有重要的公共特權。她們的人身不可侵犯，對她們的任何冒犯都會被處以死刑，並且在所有關係中都受到最高的尊重和敬意。違背貞潔誓言的女祭司會在公共哀悼中活埋於地下室。這樣的例子非常少；其中一例，在多米提安時期，首席女祭司因皇帝捏造的虛假指控而被處死。[世紀詞典]
