Venturesome

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɛntjʊə(ɹ)səm/

Definitions

1. Willing to take risks or embark on difficult, dangerous, or uncertain undertakings with boldness and courage
2. Characterized by a readiness to undertake risky or challenging endeavors with a spirit of adventure and enthusiasm
3. Possessing a bold willingness to engage in perilous or uncertain activities that require courage and initiative

Etymology: "Venturesome" is a plain compound: "venture" with the suffix "-some," which English has long attached to nouns and verbs to mean "full of" or "tending to" the quality named. A venturesome person is therefore one full of venture, the willingness to take a chance. The base word has a similar story of its own. "Venture" began as a shortening of "adventure," so the two words share a root in the Latin "advenire," meaning "to arrive" or "to come to." Over time "venture" narrowed from the general sense of something that might happen to the specific idea of a risky undertaking, and "venturesome" inherited that sense of boldness. The suffix "-some" is an old Germanic element, related to words like "same" and "-some" in "handsome" and "wholesome." Pairing it with "venture" gives the word its straightforward meaning: bold, daring, inclined toward risk.

Synonyms: adventurous, daring, risk-taking

Antonyms: cautious, timid