possessing or expressing courage
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
cou•ra•geous
(kə rā′jəs),USA pronunciation adj.
cou•ra′geous•ly, adv.
cou•ra′geous•ness, n.
- possessing or characterized by courage;
brave:a courageous speech against the dictator.
- Anglo-French curajous, Old French corageus, equivalent. to corage courage + -eus -eous
- Middle English corageous 1250–1300
cou•ra′geous•ness, n.
- See brave.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
cour•age /ˈkɜrɪdʒ, ˈkʌr-/USA pronunciation
n.
cou•ra•geous•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- [uncountable]
- the quality of mind that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, etc., without fear; bravery.
cou•ra•geous•ly, adv.
cour•age
(kûr′ij, kur′-),USA pronunciation n.
- the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear;
bravery. - [Obs.]the heart as the source of emotion.
- Idioms have the courage of one's convictions, to act in accordance with one's beliefs, esp. in spite of criticism.
- Latin cor; see heart) + -age -age
- Old French, equivalent. to cuer heart (
- Middle English corage 1250–1300
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit. Courage, bravery, valor, bravado refer to qualities of spirit and conduct. Courage permits one to face extreme dangers and difficulties without fear:to take(or lose) courage. Bravery implies true courage with daring and an intrepid boldness:bravery in a battle.Valor implies heroic courage:valor in fighting for the right.Bravado is now usually a boastful and ostentatious pretense of courage or bravery:empty bravado.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged cowardice.
'courageous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Captains Courageous
- Rover Boy
- audacious
- ballsy
- bold
- boldhearted
- brave
- dare
- daring
- dauntless
- doughty
- extract
- gallant
- greathearted
- gritty
- hardy
- heart
- heroic
- heroism
- high-spirited
- intrepid
- knightly
- lion
- lion-hearted
- lionhearted
- mettled
- mettlesome
- plucky
- prove
- rouse
- spirited
- stalwart
- stout
- strain
- strong
- sturdy
- valiant
- valorous