virtual

Universal Words adjective [onlybeforenoun] 1 almost or very nearly the thing described, so that any slight difference is not important: The country was sliding into a state of virtual civil war. * The company has a virtual monopoly in this area of trade. * He married a virtual stranger. * When her husband had a stroke, she was given virtual control of the business. 2 made to appear to exist by the use of computer SOFTWARE: virtual memory / space * New technology has enabled development of an online 'virtual library'.