virtuosity

noun vir·tu·os·i·ty \ ˌvər-chü-ˈä-sə-tē \

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Examples: virtuosity in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of virtuosity

plural virtuosities

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

2 : a taste for or interest in virtu

See virtuosity defined for English-language learners

See virtuosity defined for kids

Examples of virtuosity in a Sentence

Her virtuosity on the piano is amazing.

Recent Examples of virtuosity from the Web

Prog unabashedly showcases instrumental virtuosity, intricate melodies and harmonies, cosmic lyrics, constant shifts in tempo, melody and harmony, and extended songs that can reach both epic and patience-trying proportions.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Yes, meet Yes! A year after Rock Hall of Fame induction, two bands embark on Yes 50th anniversary tours," 23 June 2018
From the resounding contrabassoon of Jonathan Sherwin to the melodious bow of concertmaster William Preucil, this was a display of orchestra-wide virtuosity and collective eloquence.

— zachary lewis, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Orchestra shines in Ravel, with notable assists from Pintscher, Thibaudet (review)," 23 Feb. 2018
The English had never lost at home to continental opposition until Puskás’ side came to visit, blowing the game’s supposed masters away with a performance of breath taking virtuosity.

— SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 7 Days to Go - What if Ferenc Puskas Had Been Fully Fit?," 7 June 2018
McGregor’s teenage virtuosity invokes the age-old question that still bedevils 21st century parents: Is such a one-of-a-kind talent the result of nature or nurture?

— kathy boccella, Philly.com, "Malvern teen a bass prodigy who started at age 2. He's also baseball card entrepreneur," 21 May 2018
Both, though, served as displays of the orchestra's famously tight-knit nature and collective virtuosity.

— zachary lewis, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Orchestra keeps the flame burning as 'The Prometheus Project' continues (review)," 14 May 2018
Their reverence shone brightest through the instrumental passages that ended each song, Batiste hammering on the piano and Clark shredding on guitar, an increasingly rare display of instrumental virtuosity at music's biggest night. 14.

— andrew unterberger, Billboard, "Every Performance From the 2018 Grammys, Ranked," 29 Jan. 2018
But Post is indeed different from other white rappers, most of whom try to prove their bona fides through virtuosity or political solidarity.

— hua hsu, The New Yorker, "Post Malone’s White-Rapper Blues," 7 May 2018
Each moment is vividly imagined and scored with Norman’s characteristic virtuosity, but one-thing-after-another is a shaky framework on which to build.

— joshua kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco Symphony does right by little-known Prokofiev," 4 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'virtuosity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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".