virility

noun

vi·​ril·​i·​ty və-ˈri-lə-tē How to pronounce virility (audio)
 British also  vī-
: the quality or state of being virile:
b
: manly vigor : masculinity

Did you know?

Luckily, there's no doubt about what virility is, since it's depicted on the covers of dozens of new romance novels every month! A masterful and dominating manner, a splendid bared chest, a full head of lustrous hair, and an array of stunning costumes seem to be what's required. (Virile traits often missing in these men are hair on the chest and any hint of future baldness.) High-school football provides a showplace for demonstrations of adolescent virility, and for years afterward virile high-school players can keep using football language in their business life: "get to the red zone", "Hail Mary pass", "move the ball", and on and on.

Examples of virility in a Sentence

many cultures value virility as a sign of power
Recent Examples on the Web Image courtesy Roman Studies that support this unique blend of five active substances, which is exclusive to this product, show improvement in at least one aspect of male virility. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2023 White represents purity, while blue stands for the state’s sky and mountains and signifies fidelity, justice and virility. Olivia Munson, The Courier-Journal, 5 Jan. 2024 In Ancient Greece, the orchids also symbolize fertility and virility. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2024 Feeling out of place in a current world, clinging to old world values such as virility but, as captured in a first scene in a brothel, Toribio can’t even get it up. John Hopewell, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023 VigRX Plus Male Virility Herbal Dietary Supplement Pill VigRX Plus is a male virility herbal dietary supplement pill that has been gaining popularity in recent years. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2023 Valéry Carnoy addresses the subject of the injunction to virility, in a highly visual first feature. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 30 May 2023 They wouldn’t be caught in anything that doesn’t convey their virility, their nonchalance. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2023 There are countless examples of other powerful men looking to showcase their virility. Kristen Barber, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'virility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of virility was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near virility

Cite this Entry

“Virility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virility. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

virility

noun
vi·​ril·​i·​ty və-ˈril-ət-ē How to pronounce virility (audio)
: the quality or state of being virile

Medical Definition

virility

noun
vi·​ril·​i·​ty
və-ˈril-ət-ē, British also vī-
plural virilities
: the quality or state of being virile: as
a
: the period of developed manhood
b
: the capacity to function as a male in copulation

More from Merriam-Webster on virility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!