Virtuoso
/ˌvɜːr.tʃuˈoʊ.soʊ/noun
A person highly skilled in a field, especially music.
Did you know?In Italian, *virtuoso* was first used for a person distinguished by exceptional virtue or learning, and only later narrowed into the dazzling performance-word we know today.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
virtūs
“manliness, excellence, strength, moral worth”
Late Latin
Latin
virtuosus
“full of virtue, powerful, excellent”
15th-16th Century
Italian
virtuoso
“a person of exceptional virtue, learning, or skill”
16th-17th Century
Italian/English
virtuoso
“a connoisseur or highly skilled performer, especially in music”
Modern English
English
virtuoso
“a person with exceptional technical skill in a particular art or field”