virtuous

[vur-choo-uhs]

adjective

1. conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright.

   Lead a virtuous life.

2. chaste.

   a virtuous young person.

virtuous

/ ˈvɜːtʃʊəs /

adjective

1. characterized by or possessing virtue or moral excellence; righteous; upright

2. (of women) chaste or virginal

Other Word Forms

• virtuously adverb
• virtuousness noun
• nonvirtuous adjective
• nonvirtuously adverb
• nonvirtuousness noun
• quasi-virtuous adjective
• quasi-virtuously adverb
• unvirtuous adjective
• unvirtuously adverb
• unvirtuousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of virtuous¹

First recorded in 1300–50; alteration (with i from Latin ) of Middle English vertuous, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin virtuōsus, equivalent to Latin virtu(s) virtue + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

The hope is that by focusing on the number of customers—each one subsidized by shareholders—the companies can create a virtuous circle.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

All this contributes to a virtuous circle of innovation and efficiency.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In one trajectory, Helen makes the virtuous decision to avoid eloping with the impatient Jed; she is rewarded for her sacrifice with two decades of spinsterhood—in this universe, a tragic outcome.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And this should encourage even more participation — creating a virtuous circle of innovation, demand and monetization known as the “flywheel effect.”

Read more on MarketWatch

“This all drives kind of this virtuous cycle where, unless someone’s just creative or adding a bunch of new memory capacity, there’s going to be shortages or tightness.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• honest 
• honorable 
• noble 
• principled 
• righteous 
• wholesome