virtue

Origin:
1175–1225; alteration (with i < Latin) of Middle English vertu < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin virtūt- (stem of virtūs) maleness, worth, virtue, equivalent to vir man (see virile) + -tūt- abstract noun suffix

Related forms

vir·tue·less, adjective

vir·tue·less·ness, noun

non·vir·tue, noun

Synonyms
1. See goodness. 2. probity, integrity.

Antonyms
1. vice.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary

virtue (ˈvɜːtjuː, -tʃuː)

—n
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, 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

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

'virtueless

—*adj*

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

virtue

early 13c., "moral life and conduct, moral excellence," vertu, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. vertu, from L. virtutem (nom. virtus) "moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, worth," from vir "man" (see virile). Phrase by virtue of (early 13c.) preserves alternative M.E. sense

of "efficacy." Wyclif Bible has virtue where K.J.V. uses power. The seven cardinal virtues (early 14c.) were divided into the natural (justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude) and the theological (hope, faith, charity). To make a virtue of a necessity (late 14c.) translates L. facere de necessitate virtutem. [Jerome]

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

virtue

see by virtue of; make a virtue of necessity.