Etymologically
Log in

virtuosus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 18:46. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [wɪr.tuˈoː.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [vir.tuˈɔː.s̬us][1]

Forms

virtuōsus (feminine virtuōsa, neuter virtuōsum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin virtūs (“manliness, virtue”) + -ōsus, in Late Latin.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Augustine uses it to mean virtuous, good.[4][5]

Semantic evolution

In medieval Latin it meant full of virtue or excellent,[6][7] and also vigorous, strong or powerful.[8] Thomas Aquinas uses it in this second sense: the more powerful (virtuosius) an agent is, the further its action reaches.[9] Neo-Latin writers from Petrarch on used it for virtuous.[10]

Through Old French vertuos it gave English virtuous around 1300;[11] Italian virtuoso, from the same Late Latin word, came into English in the 1610s.[11]

Timeline

  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it to mean virtuous.[4][5][2]
  • c. 1300 – English virtuous appears, through Old French.[11]
  • 1610s – English borrows Italian virtuoso.[11]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Late Latin) Virtuous, good.[4][5][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Excellent, full of virtue.[6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Vigorous, strong, powerful.[8][9]
  • English virtuous
  • English virtuoso

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  7. ^ du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  10. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  11. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com