virilityn.

1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 564 The parts are these: Infancie, Childhood, Youth, Adolescencie, Virilitie, & old age.

1623 J. Wodroephe Spared Houres Souldier 373/2 The first Aage of Man is called Virilitie, in which hee is in his Best Force, Vnderstanding and Disposition.

1652 J. Wright tr. J.-P. Camus Nature's 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 E. Chambers Cycl. at Virile For which Reason some compare Youth to Summer, and Virility to Autumn.

a1797 E. Burke Ess. Abridgm. Eng. Hist. (rev. ed.) in Wks. (1812) V. 558 When a young man approached to virility, he was not yet admitted as a member of the State.

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. II. 9 At puberty it [sc. the pulse] is only 80; about virility 75.

1859 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. (1860) 1333/2.

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.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1954) VII. 371 Our virility, our holy manhood, our religious strength consists in a faithfull assurance [etc.].

1671 E. Panton Speculum Juventutis 89 In the Youth and Virility of our Empire our Nobles handled all affairs of State.

1875 H. J. S. Maine Lect. Early Hist. Inst. xiii. 395 During the virility of his intellect.

1890 Amer. Naturalist 24 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 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. V. 839 Both these men were literary men of more sensitiveness than virility.

1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Frenche Chirurg. 2 b/2 That suture or seame which passeth along the virilitye.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. iii. 430/1 William of Anco was punished with losse both of his eyes and his virility.

1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 205 He never after would trust any of his Eunuchs with any part of their virility.

1659 J. Milton Civil Power in Wks. (1851) V. 316 No less then the amercement of thir whole virilitie.

1721 G. Roussillon tr. Vertot Rev. Portugal 136 The King..was for bringing half the prostitutes of Lisbon to prove his virility.

1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. III. 36 Such mutilated persons as have voluntarily and deliberately deprived themselves of their virility.

1859 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. (1860) 1333/2 Virility,..more particularly the generative power of man.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. ix. 124 Castrated animals in every species are longer lived then they which retaine their virilities . View more context for this quotation

1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 206 Sealing up his Virilities in a Box, delivered it unto the King.

1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 1275 Yet could they never observe and keepe the virilitie of visage, and lion-like looke of his [sc. Alexander].

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. v. 211 Thus..discharged he the function of his calling..with prudent and magnanimous virilitie.

1716 J. 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 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued I. 262 Etymologists derive virtue from virility, supposing it to denote a manly strength and vigour of mind.

1845 R. Ford Hand-bk. Travellers in Spain I. i. 2 Thus the virility and vitality of the noble people has been neutralised.

1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic I. ii. i. 230 The famous moustache upon her upper lip was supposed to indicate authority and virility of purpose.

1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn I. xix. 180 A mind in which every spark of virility was dead, and which was rapidly degenerating into a mass of sensuous egotism.

1597 T. Morley Plaine & Easie Introd. Musicke 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 (Philadelphia) Oct. 159 Those universal and comprehensive principles of education which unite the parts of the science into an organic unity of power and virility.

1921 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 117 This eccentric and lovable being was the first of his breed to go adventuring on life's highway, as all the virility did of that period.