HOW TO PRONOUNCE
virtual
/ˈvɝtʃuəl/
Press play to hear how to pronounce virtual.
American Pronunciation Guide · 0:55
Watch on YouTube ↗
Watch on YouTube ↗
LISTEN FOR THIS
Stress “vir” and listen for “ch.”
After the strong r-colored opening, a ch sound leads into oo, followed by a light vowel before the final l.
3 syllables · Stress on syllable 1
TRY SAYING
“They arranged a virtual tour.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗What does virtual mean?
adjective
- In effect or essence, rather than in fact or reality; also, imitated, simulated.
- For practical purposes, though not technically; almost complete, very near.
- Operating using a computer and/or online rather than physically present.
More meanings (15)
adjective
- Simulated in a computer and/or online.
- Of a class member: capable of being overridden with a different implementation in a subclass.
- Pertaining to a theoretical infinitesimal velocity in a mechanical system that does not violate the system's constraints; also, of other physical quantities: resulting from such a velocity.
- Pertaining to a theoretical quality of something which would produce an observable effect if counteracting factors such as friction are disregarded; specifically, of a head of water: producing a certain pressure if friction, etc., is disregarded.
- Chiefly in virtual focus: of a focus or point: from which light or other radiation apparently emanates; also, of an image: produced by light that appears to diverge from a point beyond the reflecting or refracting surface.
- Pertaining to particles in temporary existence due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
- Of a quantum state: having an intermediate, short-lived, and unobservable nature.
- (obsolete) Having efficacy or power due to some natural qualities.
- (figuratively, obsolete) Of a plant or other thing: having strong healing powers; virtuous.
- (obsolete) Having the power of acting without the agency of some material or measurable thing; possessing invisible efficacy.
- (obsolete) Producing, or able to produce, some result; effective, efficacious.
- (obsolete) Synonym of virtuous (“full of virtue; having excellent moral character”).
noun
- Preceded by the: that which is imitated or simulated rather than existing in fact or reality; (countable) an instance of this.
- That which is simulated in a computer and/or online; virtual reality; (countable) an instance of this; specifically (gambling), a computer simulation of a real-world sport such as horse racing.
- A virtual (adjective sense 3.3) member function of a class.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈvɝtʃuəl/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
What all forms have in common is democracy and the abolition, virtual or complete, of the present capitalistic system.
Yet many of the philosophic schools of method which have been mentioned transform the ignoring into a virtual denial.
More book examples (3)
He soon acquired a virtual monopoly for the sale of newspapers on the line, and employed four boy assistants.
They write of the Revolution according to the methods of believers, and take for learned works the arguments of virtual theologians.
Here it will be observed that there is virtual agreement between the translators except as to the last clause, but that clause is most essential.