bravo Italian · revision 37663

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=before 1311, Anonimo Genovese|origins=grc βάρβαρος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈbra.vo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bravo''' (feminine brava, masculine plural bravi, feminine plural brave, superlative bravissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is disputed.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) It is most often explained as [[inh|la|barbarus|t=foreign; wild]], [[der|grc|βάρβαρος|tr=bárbaros|t=foreign, non-Greek]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(LEI|4, 1253)^(REW 1935) The LEI derives it from a syncopated ⟨*barbru⟩, which became ⟨*babru⟩ by dissimilation and then ⟨*brabu⟩ by metathesis, an explanation first put forward by Cornu and accepted by Meyer-Lübke, Wartburg, Corominas and others.^(LEI|4, 1253)^(REW 1935) Nocentini prefers a direct change from ⟨barbaru⟩ to ⟨*barbu⟩, with the loss of the pseudo-suffix, then to ⟨*brabu⟩ by metathesis.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The oldest records, from Spain and Occitania in the 11th and 12th centuries, describe horses as wild, unbroken, the state of horses from Barbary;^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini takes “wild” for the first sense, which led on one side to “unruly, overbearing” and on the other to “bold, brave” and then “skilful”.^(Nocentini 2010) The same word is [[pro|brau]], [[ca|brau]], [[es|bravo]] and [[pt|bravo]], and [[brado]] “wild, roaming free” is a variant of it.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) [[fr|brave]] was borrowed from Italian, according to DEI during the wars of the early 16th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|593)

+

+ Others derived it from [[la|prāvus|t=crooked, depraved]], taken in a positive sense that DELI finds in a passage of Seneca;^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|4, 1253)^(Prati 1951|173) Menéndez Pidal held this view, and Prati also preferred it.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|4, 1253)^(Prati 1951|173) The LEI rejects it on semantic and phonetic grounds, and Meyer-Lübke noted that the change of /p/ to /b/ is unexplained.^(LEI|4, 1253)^(REW 1935) DELI finds the arguments so evenly balanced that several scholars assume a crossing of both words, as Devoto and Sabatini–Coletti do.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968|67)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Wiktionary also mentions a Gaulish source through Occitan, and Prati thought the Italian word might have come from Spanish.^(Wiktionary)^(Prati 1951|173)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Anonimo Genovese, before 1311, where the word describes men as bold or fierce.^(TLIO) In 1314 Francesco da Barberino uses medieval Latin ''bravus'' of a horse.^(DELI 1999) DELI's first Italian record of the modern sense, “doing one's work with goodwill and skill”, is in Fazio degli Uberti, before 1367.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense “wild” survived for some time: the TLIO records it of an untamed animal and of stormy waves, and DELI finds ''costa brava'' “rugged coast” in Amerigo Vespucci (1504), a use close to Spanish.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) The bad sense “swaggering, overbearing” is recorded in 1537, and the noun ''bravo'', a hired armed man in the service of a lord, before 1529.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT) ''Bravura'' (''braura'' in Masuccio Salernitano, 1476) first meant daring, and ''bravata'' (1536) a reckless show of daring.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The good senses spread later: ''bravo'' as an intensifier before a noun is in Matteo Bandello (1544), as an exhortation in Goldoni (1758), and as an exclamation of approval it is recorded in 1829, though it must be older, since other languages had borrowed it in the 18th century.^(DELI 1999) The sense “good, honest” is in Pietro Giordani (1821).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ From Italian the exclamation went to German (1715), French (1738) and English (1761), mostly as a theatre word;^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline) English had already taken the noun ''bravo'' “hired killer” in 1597.^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline) The adjective ''brave'' came into English in the late 15th century through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1311 – The Anonimo Genovese uses ''bravo'' for bold, fierce.^(TLIO)

+ * 1314 – Francesco da Barberino uses medieval Latin ''bravus'' of a horse.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1367 – Fazio degli Uberti uses it for skilful.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1476 – Masuccio Salernitano uses ''braura'', the later ''bravura''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1529 – The noun ''bravo'', a hired armed man, is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1597 – English ''bravo'' “hired killer” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1715 – German takes the exclamation ''bravo''.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1758 – Goldoni uses ''bravo'' as an exhortation.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1761 – English ''bravo'' “well done!” is recorded.^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Good at something, [[m|en|skilful]], capable: ''È una brava cuoca.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Good, honest, well-behaved: ''Il nostro medico è un brav’uomo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial, before the noun)'' Used as an intensifier, “one's due”, “the usual”: ''Ogni mattina beve il suo bravo caffè.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|brave]], bold.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Of animals, untamed; of places, wild, rugged.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Well done!, an exclamation of approval or [[m|en|applause]]: ''Bravo, hai indovinato!'', ''da bravo'' urges someone, often a child, to do something.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(historical)'' A [[m|en|henchman]], a hired armed man in the service of a lord, especially in the 17th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bravura]]

+ * [[bravata]]

+ * [[bravaccio]]

+ * [[bravamente]]

+ * [[bravare]]

+ * [[braveria]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[brav'uomo]]

+ * [[bravazzo]]

+ * [[bravino]]

+ * [[brado]]

+ * [[barbaro]]

+ * [[la|barbarus]]

+ * [[fr|brave]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The feminine ''brava'' and plural ''bravi'', ''brave'' agree with the person praised, also in the exclamation.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Formulas such as ''brava donna'' and ''brav’uomo'' were once used to address strangers and survive in joking use.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}