virile

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A virile person or thing has a strong and energetic quality about them. Someone who is physically fit and healthy could be described as virile.

When people talk about something being virile, they usually mean that it's powerful, masculine, and full of energy. You might hear someone describe an outdoor activity like hiking as a great way to stay virile, because it gets you moving and makes you feel alive. The same idea applies to a product - some sports cars are marketed as virile because they're fast and have a tough design. In general, the word implies something that's strong, confident, and has an air of masculinity about it.

How common is "virile"?

Word virile is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions

adjective

  • Manly; having characteristics associated with being male, such as strength; exhibiting masculine traits to an exaggerated degree such as strength, forcefulness or vigor.

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Real examples of "virile" in context

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