virtu

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: vir=tu

CIDE DICTIONARY

virtu, n. [It. virtù virtue, excellence, from L. virtus. See Virtue.].

 A love of the fine arts; a taste for curiosities.  J. Spence.  [1913 Webster]
"I had thoughts, in my chambers to place it in view,
To be shown to my friends as a piece of virtù."  [1913 Webster]

An article of virtu, or a piece of virtu, , an object of art or antiquity; a curiosity, such as those found in museums or private collections.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

virtu, n. (also vertu)
1 a knowledge of or expertise in the fine arts.
2 virtuosity.

Idiom

article (or object) of virtu an article interesting because of its workmanship, antiquity, rarity, etc.

Etymology

It. virt{ugrave} VIRTUE, virtu

THESAURUS

virtu

aesthetics, art, art object, artistic skill, artistic taste, artistry, arty-craftiness, brainchild, bric-a-brac, classic, composition, connoisseurship, creation, design, dilettantism, epicureanism, epicurism, expertise, expertism, flair, friandise, gastronomy, grotesque, kitsch, master, masterpiece, masterwork, mobile, museum piece, nude, old master, pasticcio, pastiche, piece, piece of virtu, stabile, statue, still life, study, talent, virtuosity, work, work of art

ROGET THESAURUS

virtu

Taste

N taste, good taste, refined taste, cultivated taste, delicacy, refinement, fine feeling, gust, gusto, tact, finesse, nicety, to prepon, polish, elegance, grace, judgment, discernment, dilettantism, dilettanteism, virtu, fine art, culture, cultivation, aesthetics, man of taste, connoisseur, judge, critic, conoscente, virtuoso, amateur, dilettante, Aristarchus, Corinthian, arbiter elegantiarum, stagirite, euphemist, caviare to the general, in good taste, cute, tasteful, tasty, unaffected, pure, chaste, classical, attic, cultivated, refined, dainty, esthetic, aesthetic, artistic, elegant, euphemistic, to one's taste, to one's mind, after one's fancy, comme il faut, tire a quatre epingles, elegantly, nihil tetigit quod non ornavit, chacun a son gout, oculi pictura tenentur aures cantibus, taste, flavor, gust, gusto, savor, gout, relish, sapor, sapidity, twang, smack, smatch, aftertaste, tang, tasting, degustation, gustation, palate, tongue, tooth, stomach, sapid, saporific, gustable, gustatory, gustful, strong, gamy, palatable.