virtue

[ vur-choo ]

noun

1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.

   Antonyms: vice

2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude.

   Synonyms: integrity, probity

3. chastity; virginity:

   to lose one's virtue.

4. a particular moral excellence. Compare cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue.
5. a good or admirable quality or property:

   the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses.

6. effective force; power or potency:

   a charm with the virtue of removing warts.

7. virtues, an order of angels. Compare angel ( def 1 ).
8. manly excellence; valor.

virtue

/ -tʃuː; ˈvɜːtjuː /

noun

1. the quality or practice of moral excellence or righteousness
2. a particular moral excellence

   the virtue of tolerance

3. any of the cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) or theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity)
4. any admirable quality, feature, or trait
5. chastity, esp in women
6. archaic.
   an effective, active, or inherent power or force
7. by virtue of or in virtue of
   on account of or by reason of
8. make a virtue of necessity
   to acquiesce in doing something unpleasant with a show of grace because one must do it in any case

Derived Forms

• ˈvirtueless, adjective

Other Words From

• virtue·less adjective
• virtue·less·ness noun
• non·virtue noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of virtue¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; alteration (with i from Latin ) of Middle English vertu, from Anglo-French, Old French from Latin virtūt-, stem of virtūs “maleness, worth, virtue,” equivalent to vir “man” + -tūs, abstract noun suffix; virile

Word History and Origins

Origin of virtue¹

C13: vertu, from Old French, from Latin virtūs manliness, courage, from vir man

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. by / in virtue of, by reason of; because of:

   to act by virtue of one's legitimate authority.

2. make a virtue of necessity, to make the best of a difficult or unsatisfactory situation.

More idioms and phrases containing virtue

see by virtue of ; make a virtue of necessity .

Synonym Study

See goodness.

Example Sentences

Greece won at Wembley and were only pipped by England to promotion by virtue of a 3-0 collapse in Athens last week.

From BBC

And he does lack all those things, as well as pretty much any conventional bourgeois virtue you can name.

From Salon

Earlier this week, Stewart raved about the virtues of the film on “The Drew Barrymore Show” and said that her grandchildren liked the documentary.

From Los Angeles Times

The decision was also posted on X itself, where some users reacted with vitriol, with those who paid for prominent replies accusing the Guardian of "woke propaganda" and "virtue signalling".

From BBC

Among this revival’s many virtues is its own impeccable historical timing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advantage
• character
• ethic
• excellence
• faith
• generosity
• goodness
• ideal
• kindness
• love
• merit
• morality
• purity
• quality
• rectitude
• righteousness
• value