- Today's Word
Virtuoso
ver-choo-OH-soh
Definition
- (noun) A person highly skilled in a particular art, especially music.
Example
The young pianist was hailed as a virtuoso after her breathtaking performance.
Fun Fact
Originating from Italian, “virtuoso” was once a title of honor for someone who excelled in virtù, or virtue and excellence. Today, it refers mostly to musicians, artists, or anyone with elite mastery—think Mozart, Yo-Yo Ma, or Picasso. It’s also used beyond the arts, like a chess virtuoso or a tech virtuoso in Silicon Valley.
(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.
Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.
Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.