Standard Lemma guide

courageous

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kəˈɹeɪd͡ʒəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪdʒəs
  • CMU ARPABET: K ER0 EY1 JH AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a person, displaying or possessing courage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the most courageous person I have ever met

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bold, brave, hardy, valorous

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of an action, that requires courage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a courageous deed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bold, brave, heroic

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching- Herman Melville- William Wordsworth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring
  • a frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain
  • set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: brave

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English corajous, from Old French corageus, from corage + -eus.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: شجاع — of an action, that requires courage
  • Arabic: شجيع (šagīʕ) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Catalan: coratjós — of an action, that requires courage
  • Catalan: valent — of an action, that requires courage
  • Czech: odvážný — of an action, that requires courage
  • Danish: modig — of an action, that requires courage
  • Finnish: rohkea — of an action, that requires courage
  • Finnish: peloton — of an action, that requires courage
  • Georgian: გულადი (guladi) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Georgian: მამაცი (mamaci) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Georgian: უშიშარი (ušišari) — of an action, that requires courage
  • German: mutig — of an action, that requires courage
  • German: couragiert — of an action, that requires courage
  • Greek: θαρραλέος (tharraléos) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Greek: γενναίος (gennaíos) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Hindi: साहसिक (sāhsik) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Hungarian: bátor — of an action, that requires courage
  • Hungarian: merész — of an action, that requires courage
  • Ido: kurajoza — of an action, that requires courage
  • Italian: coraggioso — of an action, that requires courage
  • Latin: animosus — of an action, that requires courage
  • Latvian: drosmīgs — of an action, that requires courage
  • Latvian: drošs — of an action, that requires courage
  • Macedonian: хра́бар (hrábar) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Macedonian: смел (smel) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Macedonian: о́дважен (ódvažen) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Persian: شجاعانه (šojâ'âne) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Plautdietsch: brow — of an action, that requires courage
  • Portuguese: corajoso — of an action, that requires courage
  • Romanian: curajos — of an action, that requires courage
  • Russian: хра́брый (xrábryj) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Russian: сме́лый (smélyj) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Russian: отва́жный (otvážnyj) — of an action, that requires courage
  • Scottish Gaelic: misneachail — of an action, that requires courage
  • Spanish: corajudo — of an action, that requires courage
  • Spanish: corajoso — of an action, that requires courage
  • Tagalog: matapang — of an action, that requires courage
Real reading context

courageous in complete knowledge articles