Vir"go (?), n. [L. virgo a virgin, the constellation Virgo in the
zodiac. See Virgin.] (Astron.) (a) A sign of the zodiac which the sun
enters about the 21st of August, marked thus [] in almanacs. (b) A
constellation of the zodiac, now occupying chiefly the sign Libra, and
containing the bright star Spica.
Vir"gou*leuse (?), n. [F. virgouleuse, from the village of Virgoulée,
near Limoges.] (Bot.) An old French variety of pear, of little value.
Vir`gu*la"ri*an (?), n. [From. L. virgula a small rod.] (Zoöl.) Any one
of numerous species of long, slender Alcyonaria belonging to Virgularia
and allied genera of the family Virgularidæ. These corals are allied to
the sea-pens, but have a long rodlike rhachis inclosing a slender,
round or square, calcareous axis. The polyps are arranged in transverse
rows or clusters along each side of the rhachis.
Vir"gu*late (?), a. Shaped like a little twig or rod.
Vir"gule (?), n. [F. virgule, fr. L. virgula, dim. of virga. See Verge
a rod.] A comma. [R.]
In the MSS. of Chaucer, the line is always broken by a cæsura in the
middle, which is pointed by a virgule.
Hallam.
Vir"i*al (?), n. [L. vis, viris, force.] (Physics) A certain function
relating to a system of forces and their points of application, — first
used by Clausius in the investigation of problems in molecular physics.