virtue

English Online Dictionary. What means virtue‎? What does virtue mean?

English

Alternative forms

• vertu
• vertuu (obsolete)
• vertue (archaic)

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈvɜː.t͡ʃuː/, /-tjuː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈvɝ.t͡ʃu/
• Hyphenation: vir‧tue

Noun

virtue (countable and uncountable, plural virtues)

1. (uncountable) Accordance with moral principles; conformity of behaviour or thought with the strictures of morality; good moral conduct. [from 13th c.]
2. A particular manifestation of moral excellence in a person; an admirable quality. [from 13th c.]
3. 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. [from 14th c.]
4. An inherently advantageous or excellent quality of something or someone; a favourable point, an advantage. [from 14th c.]
5. (Christianity) A creature embodying divine power, specifically one of the orders of heavenly beings, traditionally ranked above angels and archangels, and below seraphim and cherubim. [from 14th c.]
6. (uncountable) Specifically, moral conduct in sexual behaviour, especially of women; chastity. [from 17th c.]
7. (obsolete) The inherent power of a god, or other supernatural being. [13th–19th c.]
8. The inherent power or efficacy of something (now only in phrases). [from 13th c.]

Synonyms

• douth (obsolete), thew
• See Thesaurus:goodness

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of "excellence in morals"): vice
• foible

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• aretaic
• paragon

Further reading

• “virtue”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “virtue”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• virtue on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Viruet

Middle English

Noun

virtue

1. Alternative form of vertu