virtu
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
virtu /vəːˈt(j)uː/ (also vertu)
▶noun
- 1 knowledge of or expertise in the fine arts.
- 2 curios or objets d'art collectively.
– phrases
article (or object) of virtu an article that is interesting because of its antiquity, quality, etc.
article (or object) of virtu an article that is interesting because of its antiquity, quality, etc.
– origin C18: from Ital. virtù ‘virtue’; the var. vertu is an alt., as if from Fr.
'virtu' also found in these Oxford entries:
