brio
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of brio
First recorded in 1725–35; from Italian, from Spanish brío “energy, determination,” from assumed Celtic brīgos; compare Old Irish bríg (feminine) “power, strength, force,” Middle Welsh bri (masculine) “honor, dignity, authority”
Explanation
If someone's got brio, they're full of spirited enthusiasm. You know that counselor who gets the whole camp incredibly excited about playing Capture the Flag? She's got brio! Energy, vivacity, and style are all important elements of brio. If you do something with brio, you bring all of your zest and vigor to it. If you sing a karaoke song with brio, you might get the whole room singing along and applauding. And your uncle might be known for telling scary campfire stories with brio, using spooky voices and elaborate hand gestures. In Italian, brio means "mettle, fire, or life," from a Celtic word meaning "strength."
Vocabulary lists containing brio
Middlemarch
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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Jordan tells the story of Eisenhower and Churchill with great brio.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
I admire her brio to take on Bass and respect her place in L.A. political history.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
"Signed a hundred NDAs but I still say something," she snarls with punky brio over an Oh Mickey drumbeat.
From BBC • Jul. 24, 2025
And speaking of Cade, Sessions’ flamboyant performance as the agent of anarchy bounds across the stage with a “Spamalot”-level of madcap brio.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2024
Other men have painted single heads as well or better: but Hals stands alone in his gusto, his abundance, his surpassing brio.
From A Wanderer in Holland by Marshall, Herbert, R. W .S.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
