virtual
Part of speech: adj
noun
Morphological type: simple
Topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
mechanical-engineering
mechanics
natural-sciences
optics
physical-sciences
physics
programming
sciences
Etymology: PIE word
 *wiHrós
The adjective is derived from Middle English vertual, virtual [and other forms], from Old French vertüal, vertüelle (modern French virtuel), or from their etymon Medieval Latin virtuālis (“of or pertaining to potency or power; having power to produce an effect, potent; morally virtuous”), from Latin virtūs (“goodness, virtue; manliness, virility”) (from vir (“adult male, man”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós (“man”), possibly from *weyh₁- (“to chase, hunt, pursue”)) + -tūs (suffix forming collective or abstract nouns)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship), modelled after virtuōsus (“good, virtuous”).
Sense 4 (“pertaining to a theoretical infinitesimal velocity in a mechanical system that does not violate the system’s constraints”) is borrowed from French virtuel, from Middle French virtuel, from Old French vertüal, vertüelle: see above.
The noun is derived from the adjective.
Cognates
* French virtuel
* Italian virtuale
* Spanish virtual
Inflected forms:
form: vertual
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: virtuall
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: vertuall
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: virtuals
pos: noun
tags: plural
Senses:
gloss: In effect or essence, rather than in fact or reality; also, imitated, simulated.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: In fact a defeat on the battlefield, Tet was a virtual victory for the North, owing to its effect on public opinion.
Virtual addressing allows computer applications to believe that there is much more physical memory than actually exists.
[W]e affirm, that Christ is really taken by faith, by the Spirit, to all real effects of his passion; they say, he is taken by the mouth, and that the spiritual and the virtual taking him, in virtue or effect, is not sufficient, though done also in the sacrament.
And the true art for such popular display is to contrive the best forms for appearing to say something new, when in reality you are but echoing yourself; to break up massy chords into running variations; and to mask, by slight differences in the manner, a virtual identity in the substance.
VIRTUAL is opposed to actual.— […] A thing has a virtual existence when it has all the conditions necessary to its actual existence. The statue exists virtually in the brass or iron, the oak in the acorn.
gloss: For practical purposes, though not technically; almost complete, very near.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: The angry peasants were a virtual army as they attacked the castle.
But it vvas plain, that the general reaſonings vvhich vvere employed againſt that povver, vvent directly to our vvhole legiſlative right; and one part of it could not be yielded to ſuch arguments, vvithout a virtual ſurrender of all the reſt.
The Chelsea captain [John Terry] was a virtual spectator as he was treated to his side's biggest win for almost two years as Stamford Bridge serenaded him with chants of "there's only one England captain," some 48 hours after he announced his retirement from international football.
gloss: Operating using a computer and/or online rather than physically present.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: a virtual assistant    a virtual personal trainer
In recent months, hospitals around the country, looking for ways to free up beds for coronavirus patients, began expanding their virtual offerings, launching video doctors' visits and virtual therapy sessions, and rolling out programs to remotely monitor vulnerable patients, like those in nursing homes.
gloss: Simulated in a computer and/or online.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: virtual machine    virtual memory    virtual private network
The virtual world of his computer game allowed character interaction.
gloss: Of a class member: capable of being overridden with a different implementation in a subclass.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
gloss: Pertaining to a theoretical infinitesimal velocity in a mechanical system that does not violate the system's constraints; also, of other physical quantities: resulting from such a velocity.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: virtual displacement    virtual work
gloss: Pertaining to a theoretical quality of something which would produce an observable effect if counteracting factors such as friction are disregarded; specifically, of a head of water: producing a certain pressure if friction, etc., is disregarded.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
gloss: Chiefly in virtual focus: of a focus or point: from which light or other radiation apparently emanates; also, of an image: produced by light that appears to diverge from a point beyond the reflecting or refracting surface.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
gloss: Pertaining to particles in temporary existence due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
particle
gloss: Of a quantum state: having an intermediate, short-lived, and unobservable nature.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
gloss: Having efficacy or power due to some natural qualities.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: [H]is ſenſes flame / Flovv'd from his parts, vvith force ſo virtuall, / It fir'd vvith ſence things meere inſenſuall.
Take an Apple, &c. and pricke it vvith a Pin full of Holes, not deepe, and ſmeare it a little vvith Sacke, or Cinnamon vvater, or Spirit of vvine, euery day for ten dayes, to ſee if the Virtuall Heat of the VVine, or Strong VVaters, vvill not Mature it.
[H]is [God's] Omnipreſence fills / Land, Sea, and Aire, and every kinde that lives, / Fomented by his virtual power and warmd: […]
RAIN is generally accounted to be a crude Vapour of the Earth, but more eſpecially of the Sea, dravvn up from thence by the attractive Povver of the Sun, or carry'd thithervvard by Pulſion, and vvafted by the VVinds into the Aerial Region; by vvhich Sublimation and Rarefaction, and the virtual Qualities of the Sun and Air, it is form'd into Clouds.
gloss: Having efficacy or power due to some natural qualities.
pos: adj
tags: also
figuratively
not-comparable
obsolete
specifically
gloss: Having the power of acting without the agency of some material or measurable thing; possessing invisible efficacy.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: VVater, being contiguous vvith Aire, Cooleth it, but Moiſteneth it not, except it Vapour. The Cauſe is, for that Heat, and Cold haue a Virtuall Tranſition, vvithout Communication of Subſtance; but Moiſture not: […]
gloss: Producing, or able to produce, some result; effective, efficacious.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: For Dr. [John] Dee, in his Mathematical Preface to Euclids Elements of Geometrie, hath vvorthily taken pains to make Architecture a Mathematical Science; and as a vertual Proof of his ovvn Learned Plea, quotes tvvo Authentique Authors, viz. Vitruvius and Leo Baptiſta [i.e., Leon Battista Alberti], […]
gloss: Synonym of virtuous (“full of virtue; having excellent moral character”).
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: The moſt in ſoule deiected; the moſt baſe, / And moſt vnſeruiceable weede, vnles / You by your heauenly Influence change his vilenes / Into a vertuall habit fit for vſe.
Her the grim conqueror's iron might / Avengeing clutched, distrusting rent; / […] / Not virtual France, the France benevolent, / The chivalrous, the many-stringed, sublime / At intervals, and oft in sweetest chime; […]
gloss: Preceded by the: that which is imitated or simulated rather than existing in fact or reality; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: uncountable
gloss: Preceded by the: that which is imitated or simulated rather than existing in fact or reality; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: uncountable
gloss: A virtual (adjective sense 3.3) member function of a class.
pos: noun
tags: countable
Synonyms: cyberreal
Derived words: mobile virtual network operator
non-virtual interface
non-virtual interface pattern
pure virtual function
pure virtual method
semivirtual
virtual 8086 mode
virtual address
virtual assistant
virtual autism
virtual backlot
virtual class
virtual community
virtual consumption
virtual currency
virtual darkness
virtual data room
virtual desktop
virtual dinner party
virtual disk
virtual drive
virtual duet
virtual focus
virtual Friday
virtual function
virtual image
virtualiser
virtualizer
virtualise
virtualize
virtualism
virtualist
virtuality
virtual keyboard
virtually
virtual machine
virtual machine monitor
virtual market
virtual meeting
virtual memory
virtual method
virtualness
virtual organization
virtual particle
virtual pet
virtual piano
virtual private network
virtual private server
virtual proxy
virtual reality
virtual real mode
virtual safety car
virtual season
virtual sex
virtual temperature
virtual unrolling
virtual unwrapping
virtual YouTuber
Translations:
lang: Finnish
word: näennäinen
lang: Finnish
word: virtuaalinen