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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For someone like Eli, then, projecting movie-star-like virility and vigor was an exercise in social advancement, in distancing himself from his babushka forebears’ grim reality. David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025 Beards were not signs of virility but of disorder. Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025 Mao Zedong is said to have suggested that anyone who couldn’t tolerate chiles couldn’t be a revolutionary; all over the world, and for centuries, spiciness has been something to conquer, and chiles have symbolized strength, bravery, national pride, and virility. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2025 Beards emerged as legible emblems of male virility and authority just as women began demanding the vote. Book Marks august 1, Literary Hub, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for virility

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of virility was in 1586

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Cite this Entry

“Virility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virility. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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
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