'virtuoso' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'virtuoso', where 'virtù' meant 'excellence' or 'moral/technical excellence'.

'virtuoso' derived from Italian 'virtuoso', which in turn came from Latin 'virtus'. The term entered English in the 17th century from Italian usage describing learned or skilled people and developed into the modern sense of a highly skilled performer.

Initially it referred to someone possessing 'virtue' or learning (from Latin 'virtus'), but over time the meaning shifted to emphasize exceptional technical or artistic skill—especially in music.