Audacity

Pronunciation

• enPR: ô-dă'sÄ­-ti, IPA: /ɔˈdæ.sɪ.ti/

Origin

From Medieval Latin audacitas, from Latin audax ("bold"), from audeō ("I am bold, I dare").

Full definition of audacity

Noun

1. Insolent boldness, especially when imprudent or unconventional.The brash private had the audacity to criticize the general.Somebody never pays his loans, yet he has the audacity to ask the bank for money.
• Wodehouse Offing|XVIII|“Oh?” she said. “So you have decided to revise my guest list for me? You have the nerve, the – the –” I saw she needed helping out. “Audacity,” I said, throwing her the line. “The audacity to dictate to me who I shall have in my house.” It should have been “whom”, but I let it go. “You have the –” “Crust.” “– the immortal rind,” she amended, and I had to admit it was stronger, “to tell me whom” – she got it right that time – “I may entertain at Brinkley Court and who” – wrong again – “I may not.”
2. Fearlessness, intrepid daring.

Synonyms

• (insolent boldness) audaciousness, outdaciousness, temerity

Related terms

• audacious