virtuelle

Virtuelle is the feminine form of the French adjective virtuel, meaning “virtual.” It describes something that exists in effect or in a simulated form rather than in physical reality, or something that is possible but not yet actual. It agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number; common examples include réalité virtuelle, monnaie virtuelle, and identité virtuelle.

Etymology and usage: Virtuel comes from Latin virtualis, via Old French virtuel. In philosophical, technical, and everyday use, virtuel can convey potentiality or a capacity that could be realized, as opposed to something actual.

In technology and computing: the term appears in many compounds. Mémoire virtuelle is virtual memory; réalité virtuelle is virtual reality; monnaie virtuelle is virtual currency; réseau virtuel is a virtual network; identité virtuelle is a digital identity. In programming, la fonction virtuelle (or méthode virtuelle) denotes a method intended to be overridden by derived classes, a concept central to object-oriented design. The related noun la virtualisation refers to the process of creating virtual versions of resources, such as virtual machines.

Other uses: The word is used to describe simulations, online personas, and digital representations in marketing, media, and research discussions, as well as in broader contexts where something is real in effect but not in physical form.

See also: virtuel, réalité virtuelle, monnaie virtuelle, mémoire virtuelle, fonction virtuelle, virtualisation.