brave

Where does the word "brave" come from? It comes from Latin barbarus, passing through Italian before entering English (1480s).

Brave’s story begins in Latin: barbarus meant “foreign, wild.” From Greek 'barbaros', one who babbles in a foreign tongue. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in Italian as bravo. Meant bold or wild; came into English through French 'brave'. It reached English by 1480s as brave. 'Bravo!' as praise shares the root. Today, brave means ready to face danger.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient barbarus "foreign, wild", from Greek 'barbaros', one who babbles in a foreign tongue.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1400s bravo "bold, wild", meant bold or wild; came into English through French 'brave'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1480s brave "bold", 'Bravo!' as praise shares the root.