temerity

[tuh-mer-i-tee]

noun

1. reckless boldness; rashness.

   Synonyms: foolhardy, effrontery, audacity

temerity

/ ˌtɛməˈrɛərɪəs, tɪˈmɛrɪtɪ /

noun

1. rashness or boldness

Other Word Forms

• temerarious adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of temerity¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English temeryte, from Latin temeritās “hap, chance, rashness,” equivalent to temer(e) “by chance, rashly” + -itās -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of temerity¹

C15: from Latin temeritās accident, from temere at random

Example Sentences

Nora can’t believe he has the temerity to ask her to star in his next work after many years of estrangement.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Ontario government had the temerity to buy ad time to run clips of Reagan’s 1987 remarks warning about the dangers of protectionism.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That same year, Life magazine quoted an unnamed member of a symphony orchestra griping that Sinatra actually had the temerity to tell them what tempos he wanted his arrangements played in.

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The administration is using it as a tool of vengeance because Harvard has had the temerity to resist the administration’s various edicts.

Read more on Salon

In the beginning, many scoffed at the temerity of a peanut farmer and one-term governor running for the highest office in the land.

Read more on Los Angeles Times