audacious

/ȯ-ˈdā-shəs/

borrowed from Middle French audacieux, from audace "daring, recklessness" (borrowed from Latin audācia, from audāc-, audāx "daring, bold, excessively daring, reckless" + -ia ) + -ieux -iousaudāx from audēre "to intend, dare, venture" (verbal derivative of avidus "ardent, eager, greedy") + -āc-, -āx, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance (probably going back to Indo-European *-eh, noun ending + *-k-, suffixal formative)

adjective

  1. intrepidly daring : adventurous

  2. recklessly bold : rash

  3. contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum : insolent

an audacious mountain climber

an audacious maneuver