vertuous

English

Adjective

vertuous (comparative more vertuous, superlative most vertuous)

1. Obsolete spelling of virtuous
   • 1591, Michael Drayton, The Harmonie of the Church:

     TO THE GODLY AND VERTUOUS LADY, THE LADY JANE DEUOREUX, OF MERIUALE.

   • c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 261:

     Doſt thou thinke becauſe thou art vertuous, there ſhall be no more Cakes and Ale?

   • 1659, Francis Osborne, A Miscellany of Sundry Essays:

     To my Vertuous, No less than in all things else Deserving NIECE, Mrs. ELIZABETH DRAPER.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• vertews, vertuows, wertuus, vertuose, vertuus, virtuous, vertewes, vertiuus, vertuuous, vertevous, vertyuous

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman vertuous, vertous, from Latin virtuōsus; equivalent to vertu +‎ -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrtiu̯ˈuːs/, /ˈvɛrtiu̯us/, /ˈvɛrtiu̯əs/, /vɛrˈtuːs/, /ˈvɛrtus/

Adjective

vertuous (plural and weak singular vertuouse)

1. Virtuous; morally correct, righteous or good:
   • 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:

     […] and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew.

     […] so, instead of other people, I willfully choose to be informed by them and of them, especially Wycliffe himself, as the most virtuous and kindly learned person that I've heard of anywhere or knew.

   1. Just, fair, unbiased; having no prejudice or hypocrisy.
   2. Brave, fearless; displaying courageousness or mettle.
2. Designed to teach or instill moral values; causing or producing virtue.
3. Amazing, wonderful, brilliant; extremely good.
4. Effective, useful; having benefits or virtues.
5. Useful against occult or malign forces; warding against sorcery.
6. Powerful, strong; having mightiness or potency (especially used of deities).
7. (rare) Wise, learned; having expert knowledge or ability.
8. (rare) Wealthy, rich, bounteous; overflowing with wealth.
9. (rare) Causing change or transformation; transformative.
10. (rare) Intense, rich, vigourous, active.
11. (rare, of writing) Exciting, entertaining.

Related terms

• vertue
• vertuously
• vertuousnesse

Descendants

• English: virtuous (obsolete vertuous)
• Scots: virtuous

References

• “vertū̆ǒus, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-14.