Where does “brass ovaries” come from?

brass ovaries (English) comes from English ovaries, from English ovary, from New Latin ovarium, from Latin ōvum, from Latin -ātus, from Proto-Italic -ātos, from Proto-Indo-European -éh₂tos — Forms adjectives from nouns, indicating the possession of a thing or a quality.

brass ovaries (English): courage, guts

Definitions

  1. courage, guts

Ancestry of “brass ovaries”, step by step

brass ovaries traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English ovaries

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishovariesplural of ovary
2EnglishovaryA female reproductive organ, often paired, that...
3New Latinovarium
4Latinōvumegg
5Latin-ātused
6Proto-Italic-ātos
7Proto-Indo-European-éh₂tosForms adjectives from nouns, indicating the possession of a thing or a quality

via English brass balls

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishbrass ballsShamelessness, cheek, brazenness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -éh₂tosEvery word from Latin -ātusEvery word from Latin ōvum