immaculate

Immaculate is an adjective meaning perfectly clean or free from stain, blemish, or fault. It derives from the Latin immaculatus, from in- 'not' and macula 'spot' or 'stain.' In everyday language, it can describe physical cleanliness as well as a figurative sense of perfection or purity, such as an immaculate condition, an immaculate performance, or an immaculate record.

In religious contexts, the term often appears in reference to concepts of purity or sinlessness. The most well-known usage in Christian theology is the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic doctrine stating that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin. This doctrine is specific to Roman Catholicism and is not universally accepted among all Christian denominations, which may hold different views about Mary’s sinlessness or about the nature of original sin. The phrase immaculately is also used in devotional expressions such as the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and related ideas appear in various liturgical and devotional traditions, though interpretations differ across denominations.

Culturally, immaculate is frequently used as a descriptor in literature, film, and music to convey purity, meticulousness, or an idealized standard. It may be employed in titles or descriptions to evoke a sense of flawlessness, whether literal or symbolic.

See also Immaculate Conception; Immaculate Heart of Mary. Related terms include spotless, pristine, and pure.