virtuosity
noun
vir·tu·os·i·ty
ˌvər-chü-ˈä-sə-tē
plural virtuosities
1
: great technical skill (as in the practice of a fine art)
2
: a taste for or interest in virtu
Did you know?
Virtuosity is used particularly to describe musicians, but also often for writers, actors, dancers, and athletes. A virtuoso is a highly skilled performer, and a virtuoso performance is one that astonishes the audience by its feats. In ancient Greece the cities would hold male competitions in acrobatics, conjuring, public reciting, blowing the trumpet, and acting out scenes from Homer's epics, the winners of which would have been praised as virtuous, or "full of manly virtues".
Cite this Entry
“Virtuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuosity. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
