bravura

English

Etymology

From Italian bravura (“skill”), from bravo (“good, skilful”). Compare bravado.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɹəˈvjʊəɹə/
• Rhymes: -ʊəɹə

Noun

bravura (plural bravuras or bravure)

1. (music) A highly technical or difficult piece, usually written for effect.
2. A display of daring.
   • 2011 May 11, Michael Billington, “I Am the Wind”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Yet just as, in opposition to the majority, I admired Fosse's Nightsongs and The Girl On The Sofa, so I found myself absorbed by this 70-minute play; and, whatever it may mean, there is no denying the production's visual bravura.

Adjective

bravura (comparative more bravura, superlative most bravura)

1. Highly showy; ostentatious.
   • 2012, John Mullan, What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved, page 4:

     Look closely, and the minute interconnectedness of her novels is a bravura achievement.

   • 2016, Christopher Kelly, The Pink Bus, Maple Shade, New Jersey: Lethe Press, page 116:

     But that won't stop the breakout star of the A&E reality series Dallas Three Ways from delivering one of his bravura, impromptu mini-lectures on the subject of Murphy's history of homophobic stand-up comedy.

Asturian

Etymology

From bravu +‎ -ura.

Noun

bravura f (plural bravures)

1. courage, bravery (being brave)

   Synonyms: braveza, coraxe

Further reading

• “bravura”, in Diccionariu de la llingua asturiana [Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (in Asturian), 1st edition, Academy of the Asturian Language [Asturian: Academia de la Llingua Asturiana], 2000, →ISBN
• García Arias, Xosé Lluis (2002–2004), “bravura”, in Diccionario general de la lengua asturiana [General Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (overall work in Spanish), Editorial Prensa Asturiana, →ISBN

Italian

Etymology

From bravo +‎ -ura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /braˈvu.ra/
• Rhymes: -ura
• Hyphenation: bra‧vù‧ra

Noun

bravura f (plural bravure)

1. skill
2. cleverness
3. virtuosity

Descendants

• → English: bravura
• Esperanto: bravuro
• → French: bravoure
• → Polish: brawura
• → Swedish: bravur

Further reading

• “bravura”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /bɾaˈvu.ɾɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɾɐˈvu.ɾɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɾɐˈvu.ɾɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɾɐˈbu.ɾɐ/ [bɾɐˈβu.ɾɐ]

• Rhymes: -uɾɐ
• Hyphenation: bra‧vu‧ra

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese bravura. By surface analysis, bravo +‎ -ura.

Noun

bravura f (plural bravuras)

1. courage, boldness, a display of daring
2. anger

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Italian bravo

Proto-Indo-European *-tew-?

Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂?

Classical Latin -tūra

Latin -ūra

Italian -ura

Italian bravurabor.

Portuguese bravura

Borrowed from Italian bravura. By surface analysis, bravo +‎ -ura.

Noun

bravura f (plural bravuras)

1. (music) bravura

Further reading

• “bravura”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “bravura”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Spanish bravo

Proto-Indo-European *-tew-?

Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂?

Classical Latin -tūra

Latin -ūra

Spanish -ura

Spanish bravura

From bravo + -ura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɾaˈbuɾa/ [bɾaˈβ̞u.ɾa]
• Rhymes: -uɾa
• Syllabification: bra‧vu‧ra

Noun

bravura f (plural bravuras)

1. courage, boldness, bravery (a display of daring)

   Synonyms: valor, valentía, coraje

2. ferocity, fierceness, wildness

   Synonyms: ferocidad, fiereza, salvajería

3. anger
4. bravura

Further reading

• “bravura”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025