virtuosity
noun
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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
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
For example, Cro-Magnons were dark skinned and lived in huts, not caves, and had a virtuosity in cave painting which could not be reproduced today, one expert says.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024
The secret sauce that makes International Guitar Night far more than a showcase for individual six-string virtuosity is the unpredictable pairings that emerge over the course of a tour.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024
For all his presence and might, Gordon drifts across the stage like a ghost: a hollow hero whose virtuosity is a reflection of a spinning mind.
—Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024
As for Stone, her performance is the reason to see the movie, and her Best Actress nomination is reasonable, but her choice of directors has, so far, brought her showcases for virtuosity without depth.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'virtuosity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near virtuosity
Cite this Entry
“Virtuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuosity. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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virtuosity
noun
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