vertuous
English
Adjective
vertuous (comparative more vertuous, superlative most vertuous)
- Obsolete spelling of virtuous.
- 1591, Michael Drayton, The Harmonie of the Church:
- TO THE GODLY AND VERTUOUS LADY, THE LADY JANE DEUOREUX, OF MERIUALE.
- c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 261:
- Doſt thou thinke becauſe thou art vertuous, there ſhall be no more Cakes and Ale?
- 1659, Francis Osborne, A Miscellany of Sundry Essays:
- To my Vertuous, No less than in all things else Deserving NIECE, Mrs. ELIZABETH DRAPER.
- 1591, Michael Drayton, The Harmonie of the Church:
Middle English
Alternative forms
- vertews, vertuows, wertuus, vertuose, vertuus, virtuous, vertewes, vertiuus, vertuuous, vertevous, vertyuous
Etymology
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman vertuous, vertous, from Latin virtuōsus; equivalent to vertu + -ous.
Pronunciation
Adjective
vertuous (plural and weak singular vertuouse)
- Virtuous; morally correct, righteous or good:
- 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:
- […] and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew.
- […] so, instead of other people, I willfully choose to be informed by them and of them, especially Wycliffe himself, as the most virtuous and kindly learned person that I've heard of anywhere or knew.
- Just, fair, unbiased; having no prejudice or hypocrisy.
- Brave, fearless; displaying courageousness or mettle.
- Designed to teach or instill moral values; causing or producing virtue.
- Amazing, wonderful, brilliant; extremely good.
- Effective, useful; having benefits or virtues.
- Useful against occult or malign forces; warding against sorcery.
- Powerful, strong; having mightiness or potency (especially used of deities).
- (rare) Wise, learned; having expert knowledge or ability.
- (rare) Wealthy, rich, bounteous; overflowing with wealth.
- (rare) Causing change or transformation; transformative.
- (rare) Intense, rich, vigourous, active.
- (rare, of writing) Exciting, entertaining.
Related terms
Descendants
References
- “vertū̆ǒus (adj.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-14.
Categories:
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English obsolete forms
- English terms with quotations
- Middle English terms borrowed from Anglo-Norman
- Middle English terms derived from Anglo-Norman
- Middle English terms derived from Latin
- Middle English terms suffixed with -ous
- Middle English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Middle English lemmas
- Middle English adjectives
- Middle English terms with quotations
- Middle English terms with rare senses
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