/
ˈvəːtjuː,
-tʃuː/
n.
- behaviour showing high moral standards.
▸a quality considered morally good or desirable.
▸a good or useful quality of a thing.
- archaic virginity or chastity.
Phrase
- by
(or in)
virtue of
because or as a result of. - make a virtue of
derive benefit or advantage from submitting to (something unwelcome).
Derivative
Etymology
ME: from OFr. vertu, from L. virtus ‘valour, merit, moral perfection’, from vir ‘man’.
