Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “virtuosity” come from?

Virtuosity derives from English virtuoso, from Italian virtuoso, from Latin virtūs formed with -ōsus and -itās suffixes ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós meaning man or hero.

virtuosity (English): The technical skills and fluent style of a...

Definitions

  1. The technical skills and fluent style of a...

Ancestry of “virtuosity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvirtuosoAn expert in virtù or art objects and...
2Italianvirtuosovirtuous; skilful; upright
3Latinvirtuōsus—
4Latinvirtūs—
5EnglishvirtueAccordance with moral principles; conformity of...
6Middle EnglishvertuAn ability, specialty, or feature; Power,...
7Anglo-Normanvertuvalour; honour; goodness; virtue
8Latinvirtutemaccusative singular of virtūs; virtue
9Latinvirtusmanhood, manliness, virility; courage,...
10Latinvirman in the sense of "adult male human"; adult,...
11Proto-Italicwirosa man
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
13Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →