virtue

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A good quality of character, such as honesty or courage.

   Grammar: Countable: the virtues of kindness.

   Patterns

   • the virtue of something

   Patience is a virtue.

   She praised the virtue of honesty.

   Courage was the virtue he admired most.

2. 2noununcountable

   Moral goodness in general.

   Grammar: Uncountable: a life of virtue.

   Patterns

   • a life of virtue

   The monk lived a life of virtue.

   He was a model of virtue.

   Society rewards virtue rarely.

3. 3nouncountable

   A useful advantage or benefit of something.

   Grammar: Often plural: the virtues of cycling.

   Patterns

   • the virtue of something

   The main virtue of this phone is its battery life.

   He explained the virtues of a simple diet.

   There is virtue in saving early.

4. 4noununcountableold-fashioned

   Sexual purity, especially of a woman, in old-fashioned usage.

   Grammar: Old-fashioned.

   Patterns

   • a woman of virtue

   In old novels, her virtue was protected.

   The story concerns a maiden's virtue.

   Society valued her virtue.

Word forms

Common combinations

by virtue of

She won by virtue of experience.

make a virtue of necessity

He made a virtue of necessity and lived simply.

cardinal virtue

Justice is a cardinal virtue.

practice virtue

They teach children to practice virtue.

patience is a virtue

Patience is a virtue, they say.

Synonyms and how they differ

goodness

Goodness is general moral quality.

merit

Merit is worth or good point, less moral.

integrity

Integrity is honesty and strong principles.

advantage

Advantage is a practical benefit.

Opposites

Word family

virtuous adjective

morally good

virtuously adverb

in a morally good way

virtuosity noun

great skill (a different sense)

Commonly confused: virtue or virtuoso?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “virtue”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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