Also 6–7 -tie, tye. [ad. F. virilité (OF. virilite) or L. virīlitas, f. virīlis VIRILE a.: see -ITY. So It. virilità, Sp. virilidad, Pg. -idade.]
1. The period of life during which a person of the male sex is in full vigor; mature or fully developed manhood or masculine force.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 531. The parts are these; infancie, childhood, youth, adolescencie, virilitie, and old age.
1623. J. Wodroephe, Marrow Fr. Tongue, 373/2. The first Aage of Man is called Virilitie, in which hee is in his Best Force, Vnderstanding and Disposition.
1652. J. Wright, trans. Camus’ Nat. Paradox, I. 4. At such years as but just passing out of Virility he saluted only the first and freshest time of Old-Age.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Virile, For which Reason some compare Youth to Summer, and Virility to Autumn.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. English Hist., Wks. X. 329. When a young man approached to virility, he was not yet admitted as a member of the State.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), II. 27. At puberty it [the pulse] is only 80; about virility 75.
1859. Mayne, Expos. Lex., 1333/2.
b. transf. or fig.
1622. A. Court, Constancie, I. 41. The ruine of Townes is still at hand;… they haue their Youth, their virility, their Olde age, like men.
1627. Donne, Serm., 214. Our Virility, our holy Manhood, our religious Strength consists in a faithfull Assurance [etc.].
1671. E. Panton, Spec. Juventutis, 89. In the Youth and Virility of our Empire our Nobles handled all affairs of State.
1875. Maine, Hist. Inst., xiii. 395. During the virility of his intellect.
c. Masculine vigor; masculinity of sex.
1890. Amer. Naturalist, Nov., 1030. We may infer, therefore, that sexual power and high sexual characters go hand in hand, and that in proportion to the advance toward organic perfection virility increases.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 839. Both these men were literary men of more sensitiveness than virility.
2. † a. The generative organs. Obs. b. The power of procreation; capacity for sexual intercourse.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 2 b/2. That suture or seame which passeth along the virilitye.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. iii. § 23. William of Anco was punished with losse of both his eyes and his virilitye.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 205. He never after would trust any of his Eunuchs with any part of their virility.
1659. Milton, Civ. Power, Wks. 1851, V. 316. No less then the amercement of thir whole virilitie.
1721. G. Roussillon, trans. Vertot’s Rev. Portugal, 136. The King … was for bringing half the prostitutes of Lisbon to prove his virility.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 194. Such mutilated persons as have voluntarily and deliberately deprived themselves of their virility.
1859. Mayne, Expos. Lex., 1333/2. Virility,… more particularly the generative power of man.
† c. pl. = prec. Obs.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. ix. 124. Castrated animals in every species are longer lived then they which retaine their virilities.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 206. Sealing up his Virilities in a Box, delivered it unto the King.
3. Manly strength and vigor of action or thought; energy or force of a virile character.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1275. Yet could they never observe and keepe the virilitie of visage, and lion-like looke of his [sc. Alexander].
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. 211. Thus … discharged he the function of his calling … with prudent and magnanimous virilitie.
1716. Addison, Freeholder, No. 26, ¶ 7. I have lately been told of a Country-Gentlewoman, pretty much famed for this Virility of Behaviour in Party-Disputes.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nature, I. 262. Etymologists derive virtue from virility, supposing it to denote a manly strength and vigour of mind.
1845. Ford, Handbk. Spain, I. 2. Thus the virility and vitality of the noble people has been neutralised.
1855. Motley, Dutch Rep., II. i. (1866), 118. The famous moustache upon her upper lip was supposed to indicate authority and virility of purpose.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xix. A mind in which every spark of virility was dead, and which was rapidly degenerating into a mass of sensuous egotism.
b. transf.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 177. These motions be more masculine causing in the song more virilitie then those accidentall cordes.
1889. W. Wilson, State, § 1195. The result some day to be reached will be normal liberty, political vitality and vigor, civil virility.
1894. E. Brooks, in Educator (Philad.), Oct., 159. Those universal and comprehensive principles of education which unite the parts of the science into an organic unity of power and virility.
