virtue
n.-
1 moral excellence (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatebehavior that shows high moral standards and goodness.
conformity to a standard of right; moral excellence and integrity.
ExampleHe was a man of great virtue who always helped those in need.
ExampleThe philosopher argued that true virtue is not merely the absence of vice but the active pursuit of the common good.
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2 a good quality (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea particular good quality or habit that a person has.
a specific commendable quality or trait of character.
ExamplePatience is a virtue when you are dealing with difficult customers.
ExampleAmong her many virtues, her ability to remain calm under extreme pressure was perhaps the most valuable to the legal team.
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3 an advantage (n.) C1 Advanced Formalan advantage or a useful feature that something has.
an inherently advantageous or beneficial quality of an object, system, or idea.
ExampleThe main virtue of this new software is that it is very easy to use.
ExampleThe committee debated the virtues of the proposed high-speed rail link, weighing the environmental benefits against the projected construction costs.
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4 chastity (n.) C2 Proficiency Archaic Literarytraditional moral behavior regarding sex, especially for women.
moral excellence in sexual conduct; specifically, a woman's virginity or chastity.
ExampleIn old stories, the hero often fights to protect a lady's virtue.
ExampleThe nineteenth-century novel often centered on the social consequences of a protagonist's perceived loss of virtue.
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5 by virtue of (n.) C1 Advanced Formalbecause of something or by using something.
used in the fixed phrase 'by virtue of' to indicate a cause, reason, or means.
ExampleShe got the job by virtue of her many years of experience in the field.
ExampleThe court ruled that the defendant was entitled to a refund by virtue of the consumer protection laws enacted the previous year.
UsageAlways used with the preposition 'of' followed by a noun phrase.
- because of
- on account of
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.
- Nounvirtue
- Adjectivevirtuous
- 01
dormitive virtue
A type of tautology in which an item is explained in terms of the item itself, only put in different (usually more abstract) words.
- 02
make a virtue of necessity
To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.