Virtuosity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌvɜː(ɹ)tjuˈɒsɪti/

Definitions

1. Exceptional skill or technical brilliance in the performance of an art, especially music
2. Mastery of artistic technique demonstrated through extraordinary skill and flawless execution in creative performance
3. Outstanding technical proficiency and consummate artistry that distinguishes exceptional practitioners in musical or performance-based disciplines

Etymology: Virtuosity is a word whose core meaning shifted from moral goodness to technical brilliance. It is built from "virtuoso," borrowed from Italian "virtuoso," itself from Late Latin "virtuōsus," meaning "virtuous" or "full of virtue," derived from Latin "virtūs." That root was rich in meaning: it came from "vir," "man," and so originally suggested manliness, courage and worth, and later broadened to moral excellence in general. The sense of skill arrived as the Italian word moved into music and the arts. A "virtuoso" was someone whose accomplishment in performance was admired, so the "virtue" became excellence of craft rather than goodness of character. English took the noun "virtuoso" from Italian, and "virtuosity" was formed by adding the English suffix "-ity," which denotes a quality or state, after dropping the final "-o." Middle English had an earlier "vertuosite," meaning a virtuous quality or character, so the modern word is a return to the older moral sense through a different, artistic channel.

Synonyms: skill, expertise, proficiency

Antonyms: incompetence