Where does “bravo” come from?
Bravo derives from Italian bravo, from Vulgar Latin bravus, from Latin barbarus meaning "foreign," from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to strike" or "stumble."
bravo (English): A hired soldier; an assassin; a desperado; A...
Definitions
- A hired soldier; an assassin; a desperado; A...
Ancestry of “bravo”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Italian | bravo | good, well-behaved; good, skilful, capable,... |
| 2 | Vulgar Latin | bravus | — |
| 3 | Latin | barbarus | foreign; savage; uncivilized |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βάρβαρος | non-Greek-speaking, foreign; barbaric, brutal,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | balb- | — |