adventure

[ad-ven-cher]

noun

1. an exciting or very unusual experience.

2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises.

   the spirit of adventure.

3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.

5. Obsolete.

   1. peril; danger; risk.

   2. chance; fortune; luck.

verb (used with object)

adventured, adventuring 

1. to risk or hazard.

2. to take the chance of; dare.

3. to venture to say or utter.

   to adventure an opinion.

verb (used without object)

adventured, adventuring 

1. to take the risk involved.

2. to venture; hazard.

adventure

/ ədˈvɛntʃə /

noun

1. a risky undertaking of unknown outcome

2. an exciting or unexpected event or course of events

3. a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation

4. obsolete

   1. danger or misadventure

   2. chance

verb

1. to take a risk or put at risk

2. to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)

3. to dare to say (something)

   he adventured his opinion

Other Word Forms

• adventureful adjective
• unadventuring adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of adventure¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English aventure, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Vulgar Latin adventūra (unrecorded) “what must happen,” feminine (originally neuter plural) of Latin adventūrus future participle of advenīre “to arrive”; ad- ad- replacing a- a- ⁵; advent, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of adventure¹

C13: aventure (later altered to adventure after the Latin spelling), via Old French ultimately from Latin advenīre to happen to (someone), arrive

Example Sentences

So every weekend, Disler and her girlfriend have an “adventure day” where they meander around a different neighborhood.

Read more on Salon

A former computer programmer created a position that never existed before in adventure racing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

After 36 years as a computer programmer, he is now a referee in adventure racing—a job he largely invented.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

An original copy of the June 1939 first edition on the Man of Steel's adventures, it was in a remarkably pristine condition.

Read more on BBC

But don’t expect Tulio or Bodoque to speak English anytime soon or for their adventures to be crafted outside of their South American homeland.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• experience 
• exploit 
• feat 
• scene 
• trip