virtual

virtual

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of virtual in English

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

English

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English vertual, virtual [and other forms], from Old French vertüal, vertüelle (modern French virtuel), or from their etymon Medieval Latin virtuālis (“of or pertaining to potency or power; having power to produce an effect, potent; morally virtuous”), from Latin virtūs (“goodness, virtue; manliness, virility”) (from vir (“adult male, man”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós (“man”), possibly from *weyh₁- (“to chase, hunt, pursue”)) + -tūs (suffix forming collective or abstract nouns)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship), modelled after virtuōsus (“good, virtuous”).

Sense 4 (“pertaining to a theoretical infinitesimal velocity in a mechanical system that does not violate the system’s constraints”) is borrowed from French virtuel, from Middle French virtuel, from Old French vertüal, vertüelle: see above.

The noun is derived from the adjective.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɜːt͡ʃʊəl/, /ˈvɜːt͡ʃ(ʊ)l/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈvɜɹt͡ʃuəl/
  • (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈvɵːt͡ʃuəl/, /ˈvɵːt͡ʃəl/, [ˈvɵːt͡ʃɯ(l)]
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃuəl, -ɜːtʃəl
  • Hyphenation: vir‧tu‧al

Adjective

virtual (not comparable)

  1. In effect or essence, rather than in fact or reality; also, imitated, simulated.
    Synonym: de facto
    Antonyms: actual, real, true, veritable
  2. For practical purposes, though not technically; almost complete, very near.
  3. (computing)
    1. Operating using a computer and/or online rather than physically present.
    2. Simulated in a computer and/or online.
      virtual machine    virtual memory    virtual private network
    4. (object-oriented programming) Of a class member: capable of being overridden with a different implementation in a subclass.
  5. (mechanics) Pertaining to a theoretical infinitesimal velocity in a mechanical system that does not violate the system's constraints; also, of other physical quantities: resulting from such a velocity.
    virtual displacement    virtual work
  6. (physics)
    1. Pertaining to a theoretical quality of something which would produce an observable effect if counteracting factors such as friction are disregarded; specifically, of a head of water: producing a certain pressure if friction, etc., is disregarded.
    2. (optics) Chiefly in virtual focus: of a focus or point: from which light or other radiation apparently emanates; also, of an image: produced by light that appears to diverge from a point beyond the reflecting or refracting surface.
      Antonym: real
    3. (particle physics) Pertaining to particles in temporary existence due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
    4. (quantum mechanics) Of a quantum state: having an intermediate, short-lived, and unobservable nature.
  7. (obsolete)
    1. Having efficacy or power due to some natural qualities.
      1. (specifically, also figuratively) Of a plant or other thing: having strong healing powers; virtuous.
    2. Having the power of acting without the agency of some material or measurable thing; possessing invisible efficacy.
    3. Producing, or able to produce, some result; effective, efficacious.
    4. Synonym of virtuous (“full of virtue; having excellent moral character”)

Alternative forms

  • vertual, virtuall (obsolete)
  • vertuall (obsolete, rare)

Synonyms

  • (computing): cyberreal

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

virtual (countable and uncountable, plural virtuals)

  1. (uncountable) Preceded by the: that which is imitated or simulated rather than existing in fact or reality; (countable) an instance of this.
    1. (uncountable) That which is simulated in a computer and/or online; virtual reality; (countable) an instance of this; specifically (gambling), a computer simulation of a real-world sport such as horse racing.
  2. (countable, programming) A virtual (adjective sense 3.3) member function of a class.

Translations

References

Further reading

  • virtual (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin virtuālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (Central) [bir.tuˈal]
  • IPA(key): (Balearic) [vir.tuˈal]
  • IPA(key): (Valencia) [viɾ.tuˈal]

Adjective

virtual m or f (masculine and feminine plural virtuals)

  1. virtual (in effect or essence, if not in fact or reality)

Derived terms

  • virtualitat
  • virtualitzar
  • virtualment

Further reading

  • “virtual” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
  • “virtual”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
  • “virtual” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
  • “virtual” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Middle English

Adjective

virtual

  1. Alternative form of vertual

Piedmontese

Etymology

From Medieval Latin virtuālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /virˈtɥal/

Adjective

virtual

  1. virtual

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin virtuālis.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
  • Hyphenation: vir‧tu‧al

Adjective

virtual m or f (plural virtuais)

  1. virtual (in effect or essence, not in fact or reality)
  2. virtual (simulated in a computer)

Derived terms

  • virtualidade
  • virtualizar
  • virtualmente

Further reading

  • “virtual” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French virtuel.

Adjective

virtual m or n (feminine singular virtuală, masculine plural virtuali, feminine and neuter plural virtuale)

  1. virtual

Declension

Derived terms

  • realitate virtuală

Related terms

  • virtualitate

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin virtuālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /biɾˈtwal/ [biɾˈt̪wal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: vir‧tual

Adjective

virtual m or f (masculine and feminine plural virtuales)

  1. virtual

Derived terms

Further reading

  • “virtual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Bookmark
share
WebDictionary.net is an Free English Dictionary containing information about the meaning, synonyms, antonyms, definitions, translations, etymology and more.

Related Words

virtually

Browse the English Dictionary

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

License

This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.