virtual

Where does the word "virtual" come from? It comes from Latin virtus, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (1400s).

Virtual’s story begins in Latin: virtus meant “excellence, power.” 'manliness, courage, power', from vir 'man'; also the root of 'virtue'. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as virtualis. Scholastic philosophers used it for something present in power or effect though not in actual form. It reached English by 1400s as virtual. Computing gave it new life: 'virtual memory' in 1959, and Jaron Lanier popularised 'virtual reality' in the 1980s. Today, virtual means almost or nearly; existing in computer simulation.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical virtus "excellence, power", 'manliness, courage, power', from vir 'man'; also the root of 'virtue'.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · 1200s virtualis "potential, effective", scholastic philosophers used it for something present in power or effect though not in actual form.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s virtual "almost; computer-simulated", computing gave it new life: 'virtual memory' in 1959, and Jaron Lanier popularised 'virtual reality' in the 1980s.