Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “bravo” come from?

bravo (Italian) comes from Vulgar Latin bravus, from Latin barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος, from Proto-Indo-European balb-.

bravo (Italian): good, well-behaved; good, skilful, capable,...

Definitions

  1. good, well-behaved; good, skilful, capable,...

Ancestry of “bravo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vulgar Latinbravus—
2Latinbarbarusforeign; savage; uncivilized
3Ancient Greekβάρβαροςnon-Greek-speaking, foreign; barbaric, brutal,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbalb-—

Words derived from “bravo”

  • brave
  • bravely
  • bravado
  • braver
  • bravo
  • bravura
  • braveness
  • bravissimo
  • outbrave
  • braven
  • unbrave
  • braveheart
  • embrave
  • bravity
  • bravehood
  • bravesome
  • bravata
  • bravissimo
  • bravata
  • bravare
  • braveria
  • bravura
  • brava
  • bravamente
Every word from Proto-Indo-European balb- →