Immaculate, a.
Etymology: [L. immaculatus; pref. im- not + maculatus, p. p. of maculare to spot, stane, fr. macula spot. See Mail armor.]
Without stain or blemish; spotless; undefiled; clear; pure. Were but my soul as pure From other guilt as that, Heaven did not hold One more immaculate. Denham. Thou sheer, immaculate and silver fountain. Shak. Immaculate conception (R. C. Ch.), the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. -- Im*mac"u*late*ly, adv. -- Im*mac"u*late*ness, n.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for immaculate; he lists it under innocent, perfect, pure.
Where he writes about it:
Immaculate, pure, and sinless may be used either of one who has never known the possibility of evil or of one who has perfectly and triumphantly resisted it. — from innocent
Synonyms
innocentperfectpureabsoluteaccurateblamelesschasteclassicclassicalcleanclearcompletecompletedconsummatecontinentcorrectentirefaultlessfinishedgenuineguilelessguiltlessharmlessholyidealincorruptinnocuousinnoxiousinoffensivemererealrightrighteoussheersimplesinlessspotlessstainlesstrueunadulteratedunblemisheduncorruptedundefiledunmingledunmixedunpollutedunspottedunstainedunsullieduntainteduntarnisheduprightvirtuous
Antonyms
adulteratedbadblemishedcorruptcorruptedcriminaldefaceddefectivedeficientdefileddeformeddirtyfalliblefaultyfilthyfoulgrossimmodestimperfectimpureincompleteindecentindelicateinferiorinsufficientlewdmarredmeagermixedobscenepervertedpollutedpoorruinedscantshortspoiledstainedsulliedtaintedtarnishedunchasteuncleanworthless