An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Of or pertaining to the interactive forces between components of a system, such as particles or molecules in a gas or stars in a cluster.
→ virial equation of state, → virial equilibrium, → virial mass, → virial parameter, → virial radius, → virial temperature, → virial theorem, → virialization.

Etymology (EN): From L. vires, plural of vis “strength,” and by extension
“force” or “energy,” first used by Rudolf Clausius in the investigation of problems in molecular physics.

Etymology (PE): Viriyâl, loan from E., as above.