— virtueless , adj. — virtuelessness , n.
/verr"chooh/ , n.
1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.
2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude.
3. chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue.
4. a particular moral excellence. Cf. cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue .
5. a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses.
6. effective force; power or potency: a charm with the virtue of removing warts.
7. virtues , an order of angels. Cf. angel (def. 1).
8. manly excellence; valor.
9. by or in virtue of , by reason of; because of: to act by virtue of one's legitimate authority.
10. make a virtue of necessity , to make the best of a difficult or unsatisfactory situation.
[ 1175-1225; alter. (with i vertu virtut- (s. of virtus ) maleness, worth, virtue, equiv. to vir man (see VIRILE) + -tut- abstract n. suffix ]
Syn. 1. See goodness. 2. probity, integrity.
Ant. 1. vice.