courage

Meanings

1. 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. 2
   noun

   The strength to do something you find frightening.

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

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”).

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