Brio
/ˈbriː.oʊ/noun
Lively vigor, spirit, or enthusiasm.
Did you know?Brio entered English through Italian, where it meant lively spirit or dash, and its older ancestry traces back to a root meaning “to roar” or “make a loud noise,” like energy turned audible.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰreu-
“to boil, bubble, seethe, or make noise”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*breuwaną
“to brew, boil”
Old English
OE
brēowan
“to brew, boil”
Italian
IT
brio
“lively spirit, zest, sparkle”
18th Century
English
brio
“animated vigor or dash”