Freethought Nation

"In Egypt, we find a similar role as that of Anat representing the virgin as well as a wetnurse: The Egyptian word renen-t or rnnt (****) means “wetnurse,”6 for one. However, changing the determinative—the symbol placed at the end of the word imparting further meaning —creates other words such as “a girl, virgin, young woman,”7 similar to the Hebrew term almah. With different determinatives, rnnt can also mean Amun8 and “the nurse-goddess.”9 That the Egyptians valued virginity is indicated also by the word “Nefrit,” nefer-t or nfrt (*****), which means “the good, or beautiful, goddess, the virgin-goddess,”10 as well as “virgin." "

Footnotes:

6 Faulkner, CDME, 150. (Gardiner’s D21, N35, N35, X1)
7 Budge, EHD, 426.
8 Budge, EHD, 426.
9 Faulkner, CDME, 151; Budge, EHD, 426.
10 Budge, EHD, 371.
11 Budge, EHD, 372.
12 Faulkner, CDME, 132. A search across many books dealing with Egyptian hieroglyphs, including dictionaries, reveals a trend avoiding reference to the term “virgin,” which nevertheless existed in the Egyptian language. Indeed, there is little doubt that what Faulkner defines as “fair woman” refers to a virgin. Considering the importance of virginity to Egyptians, it seems curious that this word is so difficult to find in the dictionaries. It is possible this trend is based on religious sensitivities raised earlier when previous scholars such as Budge were more forthright regarding this terminology, which treads too near Christian doctrine. For the same reason, it seems, the phrase “virgin birth” is avoided and “parthenogenesis” substituted in its place."

- Christ in Egypt, page 142