Medieval Latin 'virtualis' (having power to produce effect) — 'effective though not actual,' natural for computing.
Almost or nearly as described, but not completely; not physically existing but made by software to appear to do so.
From Medieval Latin 'virtuālis' (effective, having the power or virtue to produce an effect), from Latin 'virtūs' (virtue, excellence, power, strength, manliness), from 'vir' (man), from PIE *wiHrós (man, hero). Virtual originally meant 'having the virtue or power of something without being that thing in form' — essentially, 'effective though not actual.' The computing sense (existing in software
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