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virtual

adj.
US //ˈvɝtʃuəɫ// UK //vˈɜːtʃuːəl// vir·tu·al
  1. 1 computer-simulated (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Computing

    created by a computer or existing online rather than in the physical world.

    existing or occurring on a computer or the internet; simulated by software to appear real or physical.

    Example

    The museum offers a virtual tour for people who cannot visit in person.

    Example

    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'.
  2. 2 almost or effectively (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    being something in effect or result, even if it is not officially that thing.

    being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted as such.

    Example

    The team's defeat was a virtual certainty after their best player got injured.

    Example

    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'.
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  1. 3 programming (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    a part of a computer program that can be changed or replaced by another part later.

    relating to a class member function that can be overridden in a derived class to support polymorphism.

    Example

    The programmer defined a virtual function to allow different types of shapes to be drawn.

    Example

    The base class declares the destructor as virtual to ensure that the derived class's resources are correctly deallocated.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a highly specialized term in object-oriented programming; general learners will rarely encounter it outside of coding contexts.
    • overridable
  2. 4 physics (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    describing something in science that exists for a very short time or appears to be in a place where it is not.

    relating to particles or states that exist briefly due to the uncertainty principle, or images formed where light rays appear to diverge.

    Example

    A mirror creates a virtual image that looks like it is behind the glass.

    Example

    In quantum field theory, virtual particles mediate the forces between real particles during an interaction.
Origin

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

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