means A trait of good moral character — honesty, courage, kindness — or the general quality of being morally good.

from From Latin 'virtus,' meaning manliness, worth, or excellence — itself built on 'vir,' a man. To the Romans, virtus first meant the valor expected of a soldier; over centuries it softened from battlefield grit into moral goodness as it passed through Old French 'vertu' into English. A faint cousin lingers in 'virile,' which kept the muscle while 'virtue' kept the conscience.