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bravura

[bruh-vyoo r-uh, -voo r-uh; Italian brah-voo-rah]
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noun, plural bra·vu·ras, Italian bra·vu·re [brah-voo-re] /brɑˈvu rɛ/.
  1. Music. a florid passage or piece requiring great skill and spirit in the performer.
  2. a display of daring; brilliant performance.
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adjective
  1. Music. spirited; florid; brilliant (applied chiefly to vocal but occasionally to instrumental compositions).
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Origin of bravura

1780–90; < Italian: spirit, dash. See brave, -ure
Can be confusedbravery bravado bravura
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for bravure

bravura

noun
  1. a display of boldness or daring
  2. music
    1. brilliance of execution
    2. (as modifier)a bravura passage
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Word Origin

C18: from Italian: spirit, courage, from bravare to show off, see bravado
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bravure

bravura

n.

1788, "piece of music requiring great skill," from Italian bravura "bravery, spirit" (see brave (adj.)). Sense of "display of brilliancy, dash" is from 1813.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper