virtuoso

[vur-choo-oh-soh]

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noun, plural vir·tu·o·sos, vir·tu·o·si [vur-choo-oh-see] /ˌvɜr tʃuˈoʊ si/.

a person who has special knowledge or skill in a field.

a person who excels in musical technique or execution.

a person who has a cultivated appreciation of artistic excellence, as a connoisseur or collector of objects of art, antiques, etc.

Obsolete. a person who has special interest or knowledge in the arts and sciences; scientist; scholar.

adjective

Also vir·tu·os·ic

[vur-choo-os-ik] /ˌvɜr tʃuˈɒs ɪk/. of, relating to, or characteristic of a virtuoso: a virtuoso performance.

Origin of virtuoso

1610–20; < Italian: versed, skilled < Late Latin virtuosus virtuous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for virtuosic

superlative, gifted, polished, talented, skilled, superb, accomplished, perfect, practiced, complete, finished, trained, utter, total, perfected, able, absolute, conspicuous, downright, faultless

Examples from the Web for virtuosic

Contemporary Examples of virtuosic

This book is a virtuosic performance in original and tricksterish storytelling.
This Weeks Hot Reads: November 3, 2014
Nicholas Mancusi
November 3, 2014
The quilts in the QSOS Obama project range from serious to humorous in theme and from competent to virtuosic in execution.
Quilts for Obama
Meg Cox
May 16, 2009

Historical Examples of virtuosic

The general airiness of the style is a particularly-noticeable feature of this piece of Chopin's virtuosic period.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician
Frederick Niecks

British Dictionary definitions for virtuosic

virtuoso

noun plural -sos or -si (-siː)

a consummate master of musical technique and artistry

a person who has a masterly or dazzling skill or technique in any field of activity

a connoisseur, dilettante, or collector of art objects

obsolete a scholar or savant

(modifier) showing masterly skill or brilliancea virtuoso performance

Derived Formsvirtuosic (ˌvɜːtjʊˈɒsɪk), adjectivevirtuosity, noun

Word Origin for virtuoso

C17: from Italian: skilled, from Late Latin virtuōsus good, virtuous; see virtue

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for virtuosic

virtuoso

1610s, "scholar, connoisseur," from Italian virtuoso (plural virtuosi), noun use of adjective meaning "skilled, learned, of exceptional worth," from Late Latin virtuosus (see virtuous). Meaning "person with great skill" (as in music) is first attested 1743.