Word
Definitions
01computer-simulated
B1 · Intermediate Computing
adj. created by a computer or existing online rather than in the physical world.
adj. existing or occurring on a computer or the internet; simulated by software to appear real or physical.
日本語:バーチャル※
“The museum offers a virtual tour for people who cannot visit in person.”
“The engineering team conducted a virtual simulation of the bridge's stress points before any physical construction began.”
Usage
Often used before nouns like 'tour', 'meeting', or 'assistant'.
02almost or effectively
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. being something in effect or result, even if it is not officially that thing.
adj. being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted as such.
“The team's defeat was a virtual certainty after their best player got injured.”
“By the end of the third quarter, the incumbent's victory was a virtual certainty, despite the remaining uncounted ballots.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'a virtual certainty' or 'a virtual monopoly'.
03programming
C2 · Proficiency Computing Technical
adj. a part of a computer program that can be changed or replaced by another part later.
adj. relating to a class member function that can be overridden in a derived class to support polymorphism.
日本語:仮想※
“The programmer defined a virtual function to allow different types of shapes to be drawn.”
“The base class declares the destructor as virtual to ensure that the derived class's resources are correctly deallocated.”
Teaching tip
This is a highly specialized term in object-oriented programming; general learners will rarely encounter it outside of coding contexts.
Synonyms
04physics
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adj. describing something in science that exists for a very short time or appears to be in a place where it is not.
adj. relating to particles or states that exist briefly due to the uncertainty principle, or images formed where light rays appear to diverge.
“A mirror creates a virtual image that looks like it is behind the glass.”
“In quantum field theory, virtual particles mediate the forces between real particles during an interaction.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “virtual” in context.
Adjective
01. virtual absence
“The virtual absence of any witnesses made it difficult for the police to solve the case.”
adj + noun
02. virtual environment
“Students can practice surgery in a virtual environment before operating on real patients.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Instead, they can remain at home, respond to emails or messages, attend virtual meetings or carry out urgent tasks while ill.” “The AI development seems to have stalled, and the virtual reality thing seems to be dead on arrival, at least for now.” Etymology
PIE word *wiHrós 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”). Adjective 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. Cognates * French virtuel * Italian virtuale * Spanish virtual
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/virtual
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0