How to pronounce virtue
Say it like VUR-choo. Virtue has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce virtue. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VUR
- choo
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Virtue pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- chooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of virtue
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: VUR-choo.
What does virtue mean?
- the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
- any admirable quality or attribute“work of great merit”
- morality with respect to sexual relations
Where does virtue come from?
From Middle English vertu, virtue, borrowed from Anglo-Norman vertu, virtu, from Latin virtus (“manliness, bravery, worth, moral excellence”), from vir (“man”).
Questions about saying virtue
How do you pronounce virtue?
Say VUR-choo. The American pronunciation is /ˈvɝtʃu/. In British English it is /ˈvɜːtʃuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in virtue?
Virtue has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VUR). Broken into parts: VUR · choo.
Is virtue pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈvɜːtʃuː/ (VUR-choo).