virtuosity

noun

vir·​tu·​os·​i·​ty ˌvər-chü-ˈä-sə-tē 

plural virtuosities

1

: great technical skill (as in the practice of a fine art)

2

: a taste for or interest in virtu

Did you know?

Virtuosity is used particularly to describe musicians, but also often for writers, actors, dancers, and athletes. A virtuoso is a highly skilled performer, and a virtuoso performance is one that astonishes the audience by its feats. In ancient Greece the cities would hold male competitions in acrobatics, conjuring, public reciting, blowing the trumpet, and acting out scenes from Homer's epics, the winners of which would have been praised as virtuous, or "full of manly virtues".

Examples of virtuosity in a Sentence

Her virtuosity on the piano is amazing.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the level of virtuosity alone, the film laps most other white-knuckling actions films. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2024

Deborah has always been the role of a lifetime for Smart, and in the new episodes, the creators reward her virtuosity by giving her more fodder for introspection and growth than ever before. —Judy Berman, TIME, 3 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

virtuosity

noun

vir·​tu·​os·​i·​ty ˌvər-chə-ˈwäs-ət-ē 

plural virtuosities

: great performing ability in the fine arts