courage

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/ UK /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #2114

Meanings

1

noun
The ability to face danger, pain, or fear without giving up.

It took great courage to speak out against the powerful company.
2

noun
The strength to do something you find frightening.

He finally plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the ability to face danger,... braveness bravery courageousness

More audacity balls bieldboldheadboldnessbravehooddaring fearlessness grit

Opposites

cowardice

Word family

Forms courages

Derived forms couragelesscourageous discourage encourage

Related forms bravado brave cardiacchutzpahcojoneshero heroism impudence mettle pith spirit

Appears in

Phrases (1)

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stoic courage
bravery shown through calm endurance without complaint

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (2)

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Simplified etymology

Courage entered English in the medieval period and comes from the Latin root cor, “heart,” which is also the source of cordial.

Etymology

From Middle English corage, from Old French corage (French courage), from Vulgar Latin *corāticum, from Latin cor (“heart”). Distantly related to cardiac (“of the heart”), which is from Greek, but from the same Proto-Indo-European root. Displaced Middle English elne, ellen, from Old English ellen (“courage, valor”).

*ḱerd- Proto-Indo-European corage Middle English *corāticum la-vul cor Latin elne Middle English ellen Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# courage

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 2114

## Meanings
1. The ability to face danger, pain, or fear without giving up.
2. The strength to do something you find frightening.

## Examples
- It took great courage to speak out against the powerful company.
- He finally plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt.

## Synonyms
- audacity
- balls
- bield
- boldhead
- boldness
- bravehood
- braveness
- bravery
- courageousness
- daring
- fearlessness
- grit

## Antonyms
- cowardice

## Derived Forms
- courageless
- courageous
- discourage
- encourage

## Related Forms
- bravado
- brave
- cardiac
- chutzpah
- cojones
- hero
- heroism
- impudence
- mettle
- pith
- spirit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱerd-
- Root: corage
- Root: *corāticum
- Root: cor
- Root: elne
- Root: ellen

## Etymology
From Middle English corage, from Old French corage (French courage), from Vulgar Latin *corāticum, from Latin cor (“heart”). Distantly related to cardiac (“of the heart”), which is from Greek, but from the same Proto-Indo-European root. Displaced Middle English elne, ellen, from Old English ellen (“courage, valor”).

## AI Etymology
courage comes from Middle English corage, from Old French corage (French courage), from Vulgar Latin *corāticum, from Latin cor (“heart”). Distantly related to cardiac (“of the heart”), which is from Greek, but from the same Proto-Indo-European root. Displaced Middle English elne, ellen, from Old English ellen (“courage, valor”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd-, Middle English corage, Old French corage, la-vul *corāticum, Latin cor, and later related forms. Current senses include The ability to face danger, pain, or fear without giving up and The strength to do something you find frightening. English relatives and later formations include courageless, courageous, discourage, bravado, brave.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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