virtuous
gb/vˈɚt͡ʃuəs/ us/vˈɚt͡ʃuəs/
B2
English
~ 4300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Morally good or righteous
Being a good person who does what is right and fair.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is virtuous
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'virtuous' with 'virtual' due to similar spelling, but they have completely different meanings.
Synonyms
righteous (Often has a more religious or moralistic tone than 'virtuous'.)
|
moral ('Moral' can describe general ethical quality, not always as strong or praiseworthy as 'virtuous'.)
Antonyms
immoral (Describes someone or something that does not follow accepted moral standards.)
|
corrupt (Implies a loss of moral integrity, often due to dishonesty or greed.)
Collocations
virtuous life
|virtuous person
|virtuous behavior
|seem virtuous
Themes
ethics
|character
|values
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is admired for her virtuous conduct in both her personal and professional life.
- The committee praised his virtuous decision to donate the prize money to charity.
- He tried to live a virtuous life, helping others whenever possible.
- Her virtuous nature made her a trusted friend to many.
- They regarded him as a virtuous leader who always put the community first.
Learner examples
- She is a virtuous woman.
- He lives a virtuous life.
- My grandfather is a virtuous man.
- A virtuous person helps other people.
- The king was kind and virtuous.
Grammar
Dictionary form
virtuous
IPA
GB/vˈɚt͡ʃuəs/
US/vˈɚt͡ʃuəs/
Syllables & stress
vir - tu - ous (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (vir)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: virtuous
Word family
Expressions
paragon of virtue
1/pˈɛɹəɡˌɑn əv vˈɚt͡ʃu/
fixed phrase
formal
Perfect example of goodness
A person who is a perfect example of being good and moral.
Examples
- She was seen as the paragon of virtue in the small town.
- The novel's hero is portrayed as a paragon of virtue, admired by all.
virtue is its own reward
1/vˈɚt͡ʃu ˈɪz ˈɪts ˈoʊn ɹɪwˈɔɹd/
idiom
literary
Doing good is reward enough
Being good should be done for its own sake, not for prizes or praise.
Examples
- He volunteers without expecting thanks, believing that virtue is its own reward.
- Many teachers feel that virtue is its own reward when they see their students succeed.