bold
- Brave and confident, willing to do things that might be difficult or scary.
- Very strong and easy to notice, such as a bold color or bold print.
In a sentence
- It was a bold move to raise her hand and disagree with the teacher in front of the whole class.
- The artist painted a bold red stripe across the center of the canvas to draw the viewer's eye.
Usage note. 'Bold' can describe personality (brave) or appearance (vivid and striking), so make sure your context makes clear which meaning you intend.
Where it comes from
English bold · entered English pre-11th c.
From Old English 'bald' or 'beald,' meaning brave, confident, and daring. Related to Old High German 'bald' (swift, bold) and Old Norse 'ballr.' The word has been part of English since the Old English period, before the 11th century, and its spelling shifted to 'bold' over time.