brio

See also: brio- and brío

English

Etymology

Italian brio (“finesse, talent”), from Old Provençal briu (“wild”), from Gaulish (compare Old Irish bríg (“pith, strength”), Welsh bri (“repute, respect”)), from Proto-Celtic *brigos, *brigā (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰr̥ǵʰ-, zero-grade form of *bʰerǵʰ- (“high”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹiːoʊ/

Noun

brio (uncountable)

1. Vigour or vivacity.
   • 1917, Henry Handel Richardson, Australia Felix, Part II Chapter I

     He lay tossing restlessly on a dirty old straw palliasse, and was in great pain; but greeted his friend with a dash of the old brio.

Translations

vigour or vivacity

• German: Elan (de) m, Feuer n Schwung m

• Russian: жи́вость (ru) f (žívostʹ)

Anagrams

• Biro, biro, ribo-

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian brio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʁi.jo/

Noun

brio m (uncountable)

1. brilliance, panache
2. (music) con brio

Derived terms

• avec brio

Further reading

• “brio” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

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Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish brío.

Noun

brio m (plural brii)

1. vivacity, liveliness

Anagrams

• biro, bori, orbi

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Old High German

Noun

brīo m

1. mash (as in mashed potatos).

Descendants

• German: Brei

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Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish brío (“vigour”), from Old Provençal briu (“wild”), from Gaulish brīgos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɾi.u]

Noun

brio m (plural brios)

1. mettle; courage
2. zeal; vigour; vivacity
3. pride; dignity

Quotations

For usage examples of this term, see Citations:brio.