lionhearted
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lionhearted
Explanation
If you're lionhearted, you're very brave. A fearless woman who jumps into a writhing pit of snakes to save a small dog could be called lionhearted (or foolish). Anyone who displays the courage of a lion is lionhearted, from firefighters willing to risk their lives to save other people to a shy child who walks bravely into a new school on her own, determined to make friends. The adjective lionhearted shows up in many works of literature, and history as well — the most famous person described this way was King Richard I of England, called Richard the Lionheart because of his bravery in war.
Vocabulary lists containing lionhearted
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Words to Describe a Hero or Heroine
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Put on a Bold Face: Synonyms for "Brave"
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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.
Beating a string of top-25 opponents bolstered her belief, particularly a lionhearted win over Russia's Liudmila Samsonova and commanding victory over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.
From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025
Warmly ordinary and immutably extraordinary, lumber-country humble and lionhearted as ever, Lamb just keeps swimming and lets a lifetime of mettle and medals speak for itself.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 22, 2022
And through Barry Jenkins' interpretation of Colson Whitehead's novel Harper realizes Royal as a lionhearted man who exercises patience and contentedness as the golden virtues they're meant to be while never ceding his strength.
From Salon • Dec. 26, 2021
When Geppert thinks of his brother and the mind-set that helped elevate his own game, he mentions the mantra he and others have adopted: lionhearted.
From Washington Post • Jan. 31, 2020
The Myrmidon spearfighters returned, they say, under the son of lionhearted Akhilleus; and so did Poias’ great son, Philoktetes.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
