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
Many bands and musicians from the 1980s hard-rock and metal scene have credited John Sykes for his underrated musicianship and virtuosity on the guitar.
—
Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Plenty of classical musicians have the kind of technical virtuosity that’s simultaneously impressive and glib; expressive virtuosity like Dueñas’s, the ability to guide a piece through a complex emotional landscape without losing narrative coherence — that is infinitely rarer.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024
Billy Strings and Jack White brought their coolly aloof swagger of being in the moment but above the fray of the grooving rhythms underpinning their virtuosity to Perkins songs.
—Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Among other things, Fragile is the most eloquent showcase of the band members’ dazzling instrumental virtuosity.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Plenty of classical musicians have the kind of technical virtuosity that’s simultaneously impressive and glib; expressive virtuosity like Dueñas’s, the ability to guide a piece through a complex emotional landscape without losing narrative coherence — that is infinitely rarer.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024
Billy Strings and Jack White brought their coolly aloof swagger of being in the moment but above the fray of the grooving rhythms underpinning their virtuosity to Perkins songs.
—Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Among other things, Fragile is the most eloquent showcase of the band members’ dazzling instrumental virtuosity.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for virtuosity
Dictionary Entries Near virtuosity
Cite this Entry
“Virtuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuosity. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
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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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