virility

American  

[vuh-ril-i-tee] / vəˈrɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the state or quality of being virile; manly character, vigor, or spirit; masculinity.

2. the power of procreation.

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Other Word Forms

• nonvirility noun
• ultravirility noun

Etymology

Origin of virility

1580–90; < Latin virīlitās, equivalent to virīli ( s ) virile + -tās -ty ²

Example Sentences

Still, experts say the Grinch’s 2025 glow-up likely owes as much to holiday exhaustion and broad consumer pessimism as it does vertical video virility.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Strong’s Oedipus is a commanding figure, exuding virility and seeming to tower over everyone around him, a pillar of rectitude and confidence.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it’s also part of Netflix’s “rise and fall” true crime genre, cautioning against believing in figures like Johnson, who hooks young men by flogging a version of caveman masculinity that associates virility with dominance.

From Salon

Chocolate, which was once a symbol of power and virility, took on more feminine connotations once women could enjoy it.

From Salon

Bulls are a symbol of virility and manhood in Hispanic culture, and the Bull — thick-built, hard-charging, yet graceful in his attack — manifested that fearsome animal through most of his career with the Blue Crew.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• manhood
• potency
• vigor