virtuosity
noun
vir·tu·os·i·ty
ˌvər-chü-ˈä-sə-tē 
plural virtuosities
1
: great technical skill (as in the practice of a fine art)
2
: a taste for or interest in virtu
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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
Her virtuosity on the piano is amazing.
Recent Examples on the Web
The vivacity of the art form broke through the screen courtesy of Erivo’s capacity to blast through any barrier with her truthful virtuosity.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The criticism of the lack of rapping on André 3000’s recent works is telling as to a certain forgetfulness, or perhaps unawareness, among some hip-hop heads, particularly those who value lyrical virtuosity, regarding hip-hop’s historical connection to jazz.
—Ime Ekpo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Hiaasen’s skill as a writer lies less in the virtuosity of his sentence-level prose than in the exuberant strangeness of his plots and the inner lives of the people who inhabit them.
—Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
The restoration’s selection for Cannes Classics represents a fitting homecoming for a film widely considered one of the greatest action movies ever made, finally allowing new audiences to experience Woo’s balletic violence and technical virtuosity on the big screen as originally intended.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2025
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Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The criticism of the lack of rapping on André 3000’s recent works is telling as to a certain forgetfulness, or perhaps unawareness, among some hip-hop heads, particularly those who value lyrical virtuosity, regarding hip-hop’s historical connection to jazz.
—Ime Ekpo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Hiaasen’s skill as a writer lies less in the virtuosity of his sentence-level prose than in the exuberant strangeness of his plots and the inner lives of the people who inhabit them.
—Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
The restoration’s selection for Cannes Classics represents a fitting homecoming for a film widely considered one of the greatest action movies ever made, finally allowing new audiences to experience Woo’s balletic violence and technical virtuosity on the big screen as originally intended.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virtuosity
Cite this Entry
“Virtuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuosity. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
virtuosity
noun
vir·tu·os·i·ty
ˌvər-chə-ˈwäs-ət-ē
plural virtuosities
: great performing ability in the fine arts
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