virtue

virtue — noun

1. a morally good quality that a person shows in their character and behaviour, suc

1.nounB2
Definition

a morally good quality that a person shows in their character and behaviour, such as honesty, kindness, or courage; also, the general habit of choosing to do what is right.

Example

Tomás is admired for his honesty, patience, and other virtues that the community values.

countable: a virtue = a specific good quality

Marta's kindness was not a one-time act but a lasting virtue of her character.

Common collocations
  • moral virtue
  • personal virtue
  • civic virtue
  • public virtue
  • cardinal virtue
  • practice virtue
  • cultivate virtue
Synonyms
  • goodness

    more emotional and general, focusing on a kind and caring nature

  • morality

    broader term for principles of right and wrong, not specific character traits

  • integrity

    emphasises honesty and strong moral principles, especially when tested

  • righteousness

    stronger, often religious tone; implies strict moral correctness

Antonyms
  • vice

    a morally bad quality, the direct opposite of virtue

  • immorality

    behaviour that goes against moral principles

Grammar Patterns

virtue of [noun/-ing]

the virtue of [noun/-ing]

[adjective] virtue

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific good quality ('Patience is a virtue'); uncountable when referring to moral goodness in general ('a person of great virtue').

Common Mistakes

She has a virtue of honesty.
Honesty is one of her virtues.
Virtue is not used with 'of' like that; the quality IS the virtue.

2. a good or useful feature that something has, which makes it better or more effec

2.nounB2
Definition

a good or useful feature that something has, which makes it better or more effective than other similar things.

Example

Quan pointed out the virtue of living within walking distance of a train station.

pattern: the virtue of [noun/-ing]

One great virtue of this laptop is that the battery lasts an entire workday.

Synonyms
  • advantage

    more direct and common; virtue is slightly more formal and suggests inherent quality

  • benefit

    focuses on what someone gains rather than the feature itself

  • strength

    emphasises effectiveness or power compared to alternatives

  • merit

    suggests worthiness of praise, often in formal evaluation contexts

Antonyms
  • drawback

    a disadvantage or negative feature

  • weakness

    an area where something performs poorly

Grammar Patterns

the virtue of [noun/-ing]

[noun] has the virtue of [quality]

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'of' and a noun or gerund ('the virtue of having a backup plan'). Often used with possessive determiners ('its main virtue', 'the plan's virtue').

Common Mistakes

A virtue of this phone is it has long battery.
One virtue of this phone is its long battery life.
Use 'one virtue of' or 'the virtue of', and pair it with a noun phrase.

3. used in the fixed phrase 'by virtue of' to show that something happens or is tru

3.nounB2
Definition

used in the fixed phrase 'by virtue of' to show that something happens or is true because of a particular fact, quality, or situation.

Example

Zara succeeded by virtue of her determination and willingness to learn from mistakes.

fixed phrase: by virtue of + noun phrase

Owen got the last bus seat by virtue of being the oldest passenger.

Synonyms
  • because of

    less formal and more common in everyday speech

  • due to

    similar formality, but 'by virtue of' emphasises the inherent quality

  • on account of

    slightly less formal than 'by virtue of', similar meaning

Grammar Patterns

by virtue of [noun/-ing]

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed expression 'by virtue of', never as 'by virtue' alone. More formal than 'because of' or 'due to'. Common in legal and academic writing.

Common Mistakes

By virtue his experience, he got the job.
By virtue of his experience, he got the job.
The word 'of' is always required after 'by virtue'.

4. (formal or dated) the quality of being sexually pure, especially of a woman who

4.nounC1
Definition

(formal or dated) the quality of being sexually pure, especially of a woman who has not had sex before marriage.

Example

In many older novels, the heroine's virtue is central to the plot and her fate.

formal register: virtue = sexual purity

Victorian society placed enormous importance on a woman's virtue before marriage.

Synonyms
  • chastity

    the direct modern equivalent, less dated in tone

  • purity

    broader term that can include sexual and spiritual innocence

  • virginity

    more specific, referring to the state of never having had sex

Antonyms
  • promiscuity

    having many sexual partners, seen as the opposite of chastity

Usage Note

This sense is now formal or dated. In modern English it is mostly found in historical fiction, classic literature, or discussions of traditional values. Avoid using in everyday conversation unless the context clearly calls for historical or formal register.

Common Mistakes

She kept her virtue after marriage.
She kept her virtue until marriage.
In traditional usage, virtue (chastity) was expected before marriage, not preserved after.
Idioms

by virtue of

idiom

because of a particular quality, fact, or situation; as a result of something.

Salma became a citizen by virtue of her marriage to a national of that country.

The small island enjoys special tax status by virtue of its location outside national waters.

make a virtue of necessity

idiom

to turn a situation that you cannot avoid into something positive, by doing it willingly and presenting it as a good choice.

When the flight was cancelled, Ilan made a virtue of necessity and spent the day exploring the airport city.

The chef had only three ingredients left, so she made a virtue of necessity and created a simple pasta dish.

virtue is its own reward

idiom

the satisfaction of doing the right thing is itself enough reward, without needing praise or payment.

Obi gave up his weekend to help clean the park, believing that virtue is its own reward.

The old proverb says virtue is its own reward, but a small thank-you still feels nice.

by/in virtue of something

idiom

Because of a particular quality or fact.

Maya won the scholarship by virtue of her excellent grades.

In virtue of his age, Brian was allowed to enter first.

make a virtue of something

idiom

To treat a bad situation as if it were a good one.

Sara made a virtue of her shyness by becoming a good listener.

Diego made a virtue of the long wait by reading a book.

of easy virtue

idiom

Willing to have sex with anyone, often used about women in old-fashioned language.

The novel described a woman of easy virtue in 19th-century London.

In the play, the character was a woman of easy virtue.

Word family

  • virtuous
    adjectiveB2
  • virtuously
    adverbC1
  • virtuousness
    nounC1
  • virtual
    adjectiveB2
  • virtuoso
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Virtue refers to a specific good quality in someone's character, such as honesty or courage, or to the general state of being morally good. Morality is a broader term for the principles that distinguish right from wrong, whether held by an individual, a society, or a religious system. Ethics is closely related to morality but is more often used for formal codes of conduct in a profession (e.g., medical ethics, business ethics) or for the academic study of moral philosophy. Goodness is more general and emotional, describing a warm and caring nature without focusing on specific principles. Righteousness carries a stronger tone of strict moral correctness, often with religious overtones. For example, you might say a leader has many virtues such as patience and generosity (specific traits), while their overall morality is guided by strong ethical principles. Their natural goodness shows in how they treat strangers, but calling them righteous suggests a more absolute, sometimes rigid, moral stance.

morality ↗ethics ↗goodness ↗righteousness ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • truly virtuous
  • inherently virtuous

Phrases

Prepositions

  • of virtue
  • by virtue
  • in virtue

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From Latin virtus, meaning 'manliness, courage, excellence, moral strength', itself derived from vir 'man'. In ancient Rome, virtus originally referred to the qualities expected of a man — bravery in battle, strength of character, and civic duty. Over time the meaning broadened from 'male excellence' to 'moral excellence' in general, losing the gender-specific association. The word entered English through Old French vertu in the 13th century.