Virilities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The qualities or characteristics associated with masculine strength and vigor
2. The state or condition of having strong male attributes, particularly in terms of sexual potency and assertiveness
3. A term describing the display of masculinity, especially relating to physical strength and sexual abilities

Etymology: "Virilities" is simply the plural of "virility," so it is the form to use when you mean several displays of manliness at once. The noun it belongs to traces back to Latin "virīlitās," formed from "vir," meaning "man," with the suffix "-itās" that turns adjectives into abstract nouns. "Virile" came into English by way of Middle French "viril," which carried the same sense of manly strength, and the English "-ity" ending was added to that adjective to make "virility." Since the singular was built from a Latin adjective plus a noun-forming suffix, the plural follows ordinary English practice: the "-y" ending changes to "-ies," giving "virilities." Because "virility" names an abstract quality, the plural is the less common form, used when a writer wants to talk about separate manifestations of that quality rather than the quality itself.

Synonyms: masculinities, manliness, virility, strength, power

Antonyms: femininities, weakness, impotence, ineffectiveness, feebleness