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Glite Dictionary
supernatural virtue

supernatural virtue

9.9
A good moral quality given by God, for example faith or love
  • noun
  • /ˌsuːpərˈnætʃərəl ˈvɜːrtjuː/
  • Specialized
translation icon : virtud sobrenatural
  • Faith is considered a supernatural virtue because it is infused by God rather than developed by human effort.

Examples

  • Charity, as a supernatural virtue, calls Christians to love others selflessly as God loves them.

  • According to Christian teaching, hope is a supernatural virtue that supports believers through hardship.

  • Faith is a key supernatural virtue in Christianity.

  • Hope is another essential supernatural virtue we should cultivate.

  • According to Christian teaching, hope is a supernatural virtue that sustains believers during difficult times.

  • In Christianity, charity is regarded as a supernatural virtue that encourages selfless love towards others.

  • Faith is considered a supernatural virtue in Christian ethics, as it is bestowed by God to enhance natural virtues.

Synonyms

theological virtue
vssupernatural virtue
  • Specialized
1 9.9

God-given gifts of faith, hope, or love that help people be saved

is presented in ethics as virtues that complete natural virtues rather than stressing salvation

Antonyms

natural virtue
  • Formal
9.9

A moral quality people can have by nature, not given by God, like justice

Surface Forms

supernatural virtue singular
supernatural virtues plural

Morphology

supernatural + virtue

The phrase is a straightforward adjectival noun phrase: 'supernatural' (beyond the natural or from a divine source) modifying 'virtue' (a moral quality), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it means a virtue of supernatural/divine origin. The label does carry specialised theological nuance (e.g. the technical category of the three theological virtues) that learners may not know, but the basic compositional meaning is immediately derivable.

Etymology

The term supernatural virtue comes from Christian belief: supernatural means 'from God' and virtue means 'a good habit'. These are seen as gifts that make a person's natural goodness stronger, so the phrase means a 'virtue' given by God rather than something earned by the person.