/ ˈvɜːtʃuː; NAmE ˈvɜːrtʃuː/ noun
1.
[ U ] ( formal ) behaviour or attitudes that show high moral standards :
He led a life of virtue.
She was certainly no paragon of virtue !
2.
[ C ] a particular good quality or habit :
Patience is not one of her virtues, I'm afraid.
3.
[ C , U ] an attractive or useful quality
SYN advantage :
The plan has the virtue of simplicity.
He was extolling the virtues of the Internet.
They could see no virtue in discussing it further.
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IDIOMS
- by / in virtue of sth
- make a virtue of necessity
- virtue is its own reward
—more at easy adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French vertu , from Latin virtus valour, merit, moral perfection, from vir man.