courage

[kur-ij, kuhr-]

noun

1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

   Synonyms: spirit, pluck, intrepidity, dauntlessness, fearlessness
   Antonyms: cowardice

2. Obsolete.,  the heart as the source of emotion.

courage

/ ˈkʌrɪdʒ /

noun

1. the power or quality of dealing with or facing danger, fear, pain, etc

2. the confidence to act in accordance with one's beliefs

3. to nerve oneself to perform an action

4. obsolete,  mind; disposition; spirit

Word History and Origins

Origin of courage¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English corage, from Old French, equivalent to cuer “heart” (from Latin cor; heart ) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of courage¹

C13: from Old French corage, from cuer heart, from Latin cor

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. have the courage of one's convictions, to act in accordance with one's beliefs, especially in spite of criticism.

More idioms and phrases containing courage

• Dutch courage
• pluck up (one's courage)

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Their voices, their pain, and their courage confirm what I knew deep down: speaking out was the right thing to do.

From BBC

"They've shown courage but also resilience in what is a very difficult and lengthy process," he said.

From BBC

Moving forward, my emotional labor is to make sure that I remain full — full of creativity, joy, faith, emotional health, esteem, curiosity, rest, courage and the vibrancy of life itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Russia's Vladimir Putin has thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the courage of his soldiers who have been fighting in Ukraine on the Russian side.

From BBC

She added it took "phenomenal courage and resilience to hold an organisation of this magnitude to account and I congratulate the officers involved".

From BBC

Related Words

• audacity 
• bravery 
• daring 
• determination 
• endurance 
• fearlessness www.thesaurus.com
• firmness www.thesaurus.com
• fortitude 
• gallantry 
• grit 
• heroism 
• prowess 
• spirit 
• spunk 
• tenacity 
• valor 

When To Use

What does courage mean?

Courage is the quality of being ready and willing to face negative situations involving danger or pain.A close synonym is bravery. Showing courage is often thought of as facing such situations without fear, but it also involves facing them despite fear. In other words, someone who has courage might not be fearless, but they face the dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation anyway.The adjective courageous means having, showing, or done with courage. It can be used to describe people who have courage, or the actions of such people when they face negative situations resolutely. A close synonym is brave.Example: We should all show our appreciation for the courage of our first responders, who face danger every day but still, somehow, decide to show up and put the wellbeing of other people before their own safety.