virtuous
Americanadjective
-
conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright.
Lead a virtuous life.
-
a virtuous young person.
adjective
-
characterized by or possessing virtue or moral excellence; righteous; upright
-
(of women) chaste or virginal
Other Word Forms
- nonvirtuous adjective
- nonvirtuously adverb
- nonvirtuousness noun
- quasi-virtuous adjective
- quasi-virtuously adverb
- unvirtuous adjective
- unvirtuously adverb
- unvirtuousness noun
- virtuously adverb
- virtuousness noun
Etymology
Origin of virtuous
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
Explanation
Virtuous is “good” with a halo. If you call someone virtuous, you are saying that person is living according to high moral standards. Someone virtuous is who you want leading your Girl Scout troop. When you use virtuous to describe an action, like, "Your decision to cancel your vacation plans when your mom got sick was virtuous," it’s almost as though you’re referring to an ideal of goodness. In past centuries, virtuous was synonymous with virginal. In many 18th century English novels, for example, a woman didn't even have to be all that nice to be called virtuous; it just mattered that she was sexually innocent.
Vocabulary lists containing virtuous
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
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Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Much Ado About Nothing
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Adding businesses to the streets while improving public safety would help halt the “downward spiral and turn it into more of a virtuous cycle,” said Nella McOsker, president of the association.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
But DePetro may be one of the more virtuous characters here.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
Most beloved vegetable dishes have a little flourish — one element that tips them from virtuous to irresistible.
From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026
"Our ancestors built the cities. They produced the art and architecture. They built the industry. We stand for what is good, what is virtuous and what is noble."
From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026
“Here. I knew you’d be too virtuous to do it yourself.”
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
