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

Part of what makes the carnage here feel incessant and palpably realistic is that Garland, whose visual approach is generally unfussy, doesn’t embellish the violence, turning it into an ornament of his virtuosity. —Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024

His virtuosity throughout is commendable and often quite impressive. —Shannon J. Effinger, SPIN, 29 Mar. 2024

Lang Lang credits the arrangers of his album — Stephen Hough, Natalie Tenenbaum and Randy Kerber — for enriching the musicality of the tunes and putting his virtuosity on full display. —Daniel Kany, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024

Rainbow was wise to throw a spotlight on his verbal virtuosity. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2024

The Chicago Symphony, arguably the supreme exemplar of American orchestral virtuosity, announced on Tuesday that Mäkelä will become its next music director in 2027, succeeding Riccardo Muti. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024

While patience may be a virtue, the Internal Revenue Service has a way of reaching a person's limits of virtuosity. —James Powel, USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024

Jandali never forces McGill’s virtuosity, opting instead for a cinematic treatment that allows the fresh sketch of a main character. —Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024

Spontaneity, not insight or virtuosity, was his thing, and Club 57, not S.V.A., was his real alma mater. —Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 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