Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon
ἀρετή (G703)
5 ἀρετή , -ῆς, ἡ , [in LXX, in sing.: Hb 3:3 , Za 6:13 ( הוֹד ), in pl.: Is 42:8 , 12 43:21 63:7 ( תְּהִלָּה ), Es 14:10 , Wi 4:1 5:13 8:7 , II-IV Mac 22 *;] prop., whatever procures pre-eminent estimation for a person or thing, in Hom. any kind of conspicuous advantage. Later confined by philos. writers to intrinsic eminence— moral goodness , virtue ; of God: II Pe 1:3 ; of men: Phl 4:8 , II Pe 1:5 ; pl. ( Is 42:8 , 12 43:21 63:7 , Es 14:10 ), excellencies : I Pe 2:9 (the usage appears to be a survival of an early comprehensive sense in which the original idea is blended with the impression which it makes on others, i.e. praise, renown; v. Hort, I Pe. , 129. Deiss., BS , 95 f., thinks it means manifestations of divine power, as in current Gk. speech; cf. also MM, s.v.)†
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922) — public domain