Etymology Map
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Brave

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means ready to face danger

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

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

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.