Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “virtus” come from?

virtus (Latin) comes from English virtue, from Middle English vertu, from Anglo-Norman vertu, from Latin virtutem, from Latin virtus, from Latin vir, from Proto-Italic wiros, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

Ancestry of “virtus”, step by step

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