virile

[ vir-uhlor, especially British, -ahyl ]

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a man; masculine; manly:

   virile strength.

2. having or exhibiting masculine energy, forcefulness, or strength in a marked degree.

   Synonyms: vigorous

3. characterized by a vigorous, masculine spirit:

   a virile literary style.

4. of, relating to, or capable of procreation.

virile

/ ˈvɪraɪl; vɪˈrɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an adult male
2. (of a male) possessing high sexual drive and capacity for sexual intercourse
3. of or capable of copulation or procreation
4. strong, forceful, or vigorous

Derived Forms

• virility, noun

Other Words From

• non·virile adjective
• sub·virile adjective
• ultra·virile adjective
• un·virile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of virile¹

1480–90; from Latin virīlis “manly,” equivalent to vir “man” (akin to Old English wer “man”; werewolf ) + -īlis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of virile¹

C15: from Latin virīlis manly, from vir a man; related to Old English wer man and probably to Latin vis strength

Synonym Study

See male.

Example Sentences

The implication was that the rallygoers were mocking Tim Walz for using fertility treatments to conceive his child, unlike the more virile Trump and Vance, who presumably sired their kids the old-fashioned way.

From Slate

Judging by the sporting photos on his campaign website, Kennedy would like to be seen as the virile, athletic and spry choice for the White House.

From Los Angeles Times

The virile jab, at pub time, has more than 5.7 million views.

From Slate

He adds that, "There’s nothing inherently masculine or virile about eating meat, nor anything inherently feminine about eating vegetables or salads. These kinds of behaviors are simply cultural associations that provide baseline of recognizably gendered actions."

From Salon

"It could be a longstanding cultural association that connects meat-eating with hunting or hunters, or with the image of ranchers or cowboys," says Dr. Daniel Boscaljon, director of research and co-founder of the Institute for Trauma Informed Relationships, "all categories that connect to fantasies of normal or virile masculinity."

From Salon

Related Words

• macho
• manful
• manly
• masculine