Where does “audacity” come from?
Audacity comes from Middle English audacite, from Medieval Latin audacitas, from Latin audax meaning bold, derived from Proto-Italic awidēō and awidos.
audacity (English): Insolent boldness, especially when imprudent or...
Definitions
- Insolent boldness, especially when imprudent or...
Ancestry of “audacity”, step by step
audacity traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English audacite
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | audacite | audacity |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | audacitas | — |
| 3 | Latin | audāx | bold, audacious, daring |
| 4 | Latin | -āx | ish, -y |
| 5 | Latin | -ium | Suffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes... |
| 6 | Latin | -ius | forming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | -jōs | Forms comparative adjectives |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |
via Latin audācia
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | audācia | The state or quality of being bold; boldness |
| 2 | Latin | -ia | Used to form a feminine abstract noun, usually... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |