Dictionary

virtue en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˈvɜːt͡ʃuː/ yod-coalescence
• /ˈvɜːtjuː/ no yod-coalescence
• /ˈvɝt͡ʃu/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From Middle English vertu, virtue, borrowed from Anglo-Norman vertu, virtu, from Latin virtus (“manliness, bravery, worth, moral excellence”), from vir (“man”). Doublet of vertu. See virile. In this sense, displaced Old English cræft, whence Modern English craft.

Meanings

1. (qualifier:conceptually, uncountable) The idea of all that is good or excellent (in every sense of those terms) in a human being, collectively instantiated by a varying number of human traits known as "the virtues", the enumeration of which vary by the many virtue systems which have developed within different cultures, religions, and historical periods.
2. (uncountable) Accordance with moral principles; conformity of behaviour or thought with the strictures of morality; good moral conduct.
   • There are a set of religious, or rather moral, writers, who teach that virtue is the certain road to happiness, and vice to misery, in this world. 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 1, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book XV:
   • Without virtue, there is no freedom.
   • “Virtue is an inner light that can prevail in every soul.” 2004 October 1, “Eight-and-a-Half-Tails”, in Champions of Kamigawa, Wizards of the Coast:
3. (countable) An attribute of a personality (a "personality trait") which predisposes a person to behaviors resulting in human goodness; an admirable quality.
   • Some men are modest, and seem to take pains to hide their virtues; and, from a natural distance and reserve in their tempers, scarce suffer their good qualities to be known […]. 1766, Laurence Sterne, Sermon, section XLIV:
   • The commission of acts by a person which he or she believes to be wrong can cause a diminishment of one or more of the virtues which subsist in the person's personality; in this way such actions may be viewed as significant life events.
4. (countable, uncountable) A particular manifestation of moral excellence in a person.
5. (countable, uncountable) Specifically, each of several qualities held to be particularly important, including the four cardinal virtues, the three theological virtues, or the seven virtues opposed to the seven deadly sins.
   • Better to be excluded from society than to deny the virtue of citizenship.
   • The divine virtues of truth and equity are the only bands of friendship, the only supports of society. 1813, John Fleetwood, The Life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:
6. (countable, uncountable) An inherently advantageous or excellent quality of something or someone; a favourable point, an advantage.
   • One virtue of the present coalition government's attack on access to education could be to reopen the questions raised so pertinently by Robinson in the 1960s […]. 2011, The Guardian, Letter, 14 Mar 2011:
   • There were divers other plants, which I had no notion of or understanding about, that might, perhaps, have virtues of their own, which I could not find out. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
7. (countable, uncountable) A creature embodying divine power, specifically one of the orders of heavenly beings, traditionally ranked above angels and archangels, and below seraphim and cherubim.
   • Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; / For in possession such, not only of right, / I call ye, and declare ye now […]. 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
8. (uncountable) Specifically, moral conduct in sexual behaviour, especially of women; chastity.
   • though she did not suppose Lydia to be deliberately engaging in an elopement without the intention of marriage, she had no difficulty in believing that neither her virtue nor her understanding would preserve her from falling an easy prey. 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice:
9. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The inherent power of a god, or other supernatural being.
10. (countable, uncountable) The inherent power or efficacy of something (now only in phrases).
    • many Egyptians still worry that the Brotherhood, by virtue of discipline and experience, would hold an unfair advantage if elections were held too soon. 2011 February 17, “The autumn of the patriarchs”, in The Economist:
    • Here are the glasses, Meg. But I am afraid that the virtue has gone from them, and now they are only glass. Perhaps they were meant to help once and only on Camazotz. 1962, Madeleine L’Engle, “Aunt Beast”, in A Wrinkle in Time, New York, N.Y.: Ariel Books, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: Ariel Books, 1973 printing, →ISBN, page 189:
    • There was a virtue in the wave; His limbs, that, stiff with toil, Dragg’d heavy, from the copious draught receiv’d Lightness and supple strength. 1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

vice (antonym(s) of “excellence in morals”) · foible

Deriveds

in virtue of · lady of light virtue · virtue ethics · patience is a virtue · virtue signaling · virtue signal · virtue ethicist · nonvirtue · in virtue of which · make a virtue of necessity · cardinal virtue · virtuous · virtue signaler · virtuecrat · virtued · woman of easy virtue · virtue signaller · virtue-signaling · by virtue of · virtue name · virtue signalling · virtue is its own reward · unvirtue · virtueless · pseudovirtue · virtue-signalling · dormitive virtue

Relateds

aretaic · virtuosity · virago · virtuous · virile · virtuosa · virtuoso · paragon · virtual

Synonyms

douth · thew · goodness

Translations (226)

ar طَهَارَة (chastity and faithfulness) · io vertuo (excellence in morals) · pt virtude (in angelology) · tr fazilet (a good model quality) · tr erdem (a good model quality) · nl deugdzaamheid (chastity and faithfulness) · ca virtut (in angelology) · ar فَضِيلَة (excellence in morals) · fr vertu (a good model quality) · sk cnosť (excellence in morals) · cmn 德 (excellence in morals) · es virtud (an exemplary quality) · be цно́та (excellence in morals) · ta விருடம் (excellence in morals) · ka ხარისხი (an exemplary quality) · ka სათნოება (a good model quality) · es virtud (in angelology) · vec vertù (excellence in morals) · pl cnota (excellence in morals) · ilo birtud (excellence in morals) · tk fazylet (excellence in morals) · non dygð (excellence in morals) · sq dhurëti (excellence in morals) · cmn 美德 (excellence in morals) · ca virtut (a good model quality) · ia virtute (in angelology) · nl deugdzaamheid (excellence in morals) · mi ngākaupai (excellence in morals) · fa حسن (excellence in morals) · ru доброде́тель (excellence in morals) · ru целому́дрие (chastity and faithfulness) · tr erdem (excellence in morals) · ky изгилик (excellence in morals) · ia virtute (a good model quality) · uk цнотли́вість (excellence in morals) · kk ізгілік (excellence in morals) · da dyd (an exemplary quality) · la virtūs (a good model quality) · ko 미덕 (excellence in morals) · sl vrlina (excellence in morals) · tr sililik (chastity and faithfulness) · id fadilat (a good model quality) · ko 미덕 (a good model quality) · id kebajikan (excellence in morals) · ka სათნოება (chastity and faithfulness) · tg некӯкор (excellence in morals) · sh врлѝна (excellence in morals) · it virtù (chastity and faithfulness) · tg фазилат (excellence in morals) · it virtù (a good model quality) · ro virtute (excellence in morals) · ru целому́дрие (excellence in morals) · nb dyd (a good model quality) · az fəzilət (excellence in morals) · el αρετή (excellence in morals) · de Keuschheit (chastity and faithfulness) · he סְגֻלָּה (excellence in morals) · ru досто́инство (a good model quality) · ps فضيلت (excellence in morals) · ja 徳 (excellence in morals) · bg добродетел (an exemplary quality) · fr vertu (chastity and faithfulness) · km គុណធម៌ (excellence in morals) · fi hyveellisyys (excellence in morals) · it virtù (in angelology) · ar فَضِيلَة (a good model quality) · hy առաքինություն (excellence in morals) · fr vertu (excellence in morals) · be го́днасьць (a good model quality) · nl deugd (an exemplary quality) · ja 力天使 (in angelology) · fi etu (an exemplary quality) · fi hyve (a good model quality) · ka ღირსება (a good model quality) · ru доброде́тель (chastity and faithfulness) · lo ຄຸນ (excellence in morals) · cs ctnost (excellence in morals) · te సుగుణం (excellence in morals) · af deug (excellence in morals) · th กุศล (excellence in morals) · nb dyd (excellence in morals) · cmn 美德 (a good model quality) · ko 덕 (excellence in morals) · mk добродетел (excellence in morals) · lt dorybė (excellence in morals) · it virtù (excellence in morals) · fi siveys (excellence in morals) · uz fazilat (excellence in morals) · pt virtude (an exemplary quality) · ja 純潔 (chastity and faithfulness) · ka ეფექტურობა (an exemplary quality) · th คุณธรรม (excellence in morals) · nb dyd (an exemplary quality) · nl deugd (a good model quality) · ur اَچّھائی (excellence in morals) · cmn 美德 (an exemplary quality) · da dyd (a good model quality) · da dyd (chastity and faithfulness) · te సుగుణం (a good model quality) · my ပါရမီ (excellence in morals) · ru ве́рность (chastity and faithfulness) · km កុសល (excellence in morals) · vi đức (excellence in morals) · tr arılık (chastity and faithfulness) · he מַעֲלָה (in angelology) · hi बल (a good model quality) · tr iffet (chastity and faithfulness) · cy rhinwedd (excellence in morals) · km បារមី (excellence in morals) · hi गुण (excellence in morals) · tuw-sol buyaa (excellence in morals) · es virtud (a good model quality) · de Tugend (an exemplary quality) · uk доброче́сність (excellence in morals) · af deug (a good model quality) · lv tikums (excellence in morals) · gl virtude (excellence in morals) · pl godność (a good model quality) · uk гі́дність (a good model quality) · ms fadzilat (excellence in morals) · bo དགེ་བ (excellence in morals) · ko 순결 (chastity and faithfulness) · nl deugd (excellence in morals) · es virtud (chastity and faithfulness) · kmr fezîlet (excellence in morals) · et voorus (excellence in morals) · ko 미덕 (an exemplary quality) · hi नेकी (excellence in morals) · cy rhinwedd (a good model quality) · ca virtut (excellence in morals) · enm honeste (excellence in morals) · non dygð (a good model quality) · be дабрачы́ннасць (excellence in morals) · nb dyd (chastity and faithfulness) · txb kärtsauñe (a good model quality) · nn dygd (excellence in morals) · he סגולה (excellence in morals) · sh vrlìna (excellence in morals) · tr fazilet (excellence in morals) · ur نیکی (excellence in morals) · mk доблест (chastity and faithfulness) · fi avu (chastity and faithfulness) · is dyggð (excellence in morals) · tt изгелек (excellence in morals) · es virtud (excellence in morals) · th บารมี (excellence in morals) · fa خوبی (excellence in morals) · tg ҳусн (excellence in morals) · lo ກຸສົນ (excellence in morals) · de Tugend (a good model quality) · tl birtud (excellence in morals) · lo ຄຸນນະທຳ (excellence in morals) · bg вя́рност (chastity and faithfulness) · sq dhunti (excellence in morals) · sq virtyt (excellence in morals) · ang cræft (a good model quality) · bg целомъ́дрие (excellence in morals) · ky кайрымдуу (excellence in morals) · ka უმანკოება (chastity and faithfulness) · scn virtuti (excellence in morals) · hi सदाचार (excellence in morals) · bn গুণ (excellence in morals) · mk доблест (excellence in morals) · bg целомъ́дрие (chastity and faithfulness) · ia virtute (chastity and faithfulness) · fa فضیلت (excellence in morals) · ang cræft (excellence in morals) · km គុណ (excellence in morals) · my သီလ (excellence in morals) · ka ღირსება (excellence in morals) · sa गुण (an exemplary quality) · ar عِفَّة (chastity and faithfulness) · ota ناموس (chastity and faithfulness) · he מַעֲלַת סֻכֹּות (in angelology) · tr itminan (excellence in morals) · ur فَضِیلَت (excellence in morals) · ceb birtud (excellence in morals) · tg некӯӣ (excellence in morals) · non dygð (chastity and faithfulness) · ja 美徳 (excellence in morals) · sv dygd (excellence in morals) · he מַעֲלַת טֻכֹּות (in angelology) · la virtūs (excellence in morals) · ka უბიწოება (chastity and faithfulness) · th คุณ (excellence in morals) · ca virtut (an exemplary quality) · ca virtut (chastity and faithfulness) · ia virtute (an exemplary quality) · it merito (an exemplary quality) · ka პატიოსნება (chastity and faithfulness) · grc ἀρετή (excellence in morals) · de Tugend (excellence in morals) · pag birtud (excellence in morals) · ia virtute (excellence in morals) · ja 美徳 (an exemplary quality) · be дабрачы́ннасьць (excellence in morals) · sv dygd (an exemplary quality) · tr namus (chastity and faithfulness) · bn সদ্গুণ (excellence in morals) · be го́днасць (a good model quality) · sv dygd (chastity and faithfulness) · pt virtude (chastity and faithfulness) · ug پەزىلەت (excellence in morals) · bg доброде́тел (excellence in morals) · ja 美徳 (a good model quality) · fur virtût (excellence in morals) · gl virtude (an exemplary quality) · ms kebajikan (excellence in morals) · my အလိမ္မာ (excellence in morals) · bg до́блест (chastity and faithfulness) · bg досто́инство (a good model quality) · fa هژیری (excellence in morals) · sv dygd (a good model quality) · fa ستودگی (excellence in morals) · pt virtude (a good model quality) · fi valta (in angelology) · ga suáilce (excellence in morals) · gl virtude (chastity and faithfulness) · nl kuisheid (chastity and faithfulness) · tr paklık (chastity and faithfulness) · hu erény (excellence in morals) · da dyd (excellence in morals) · pt virtude (excellence in morals) · ms kebaikan (excellence in morals) · fr vertu (in angelology) · hi अच्छाई (excellence in morals)

wikipedia: Modern English