What does bravi mean?
'Bravi' is the plural form of 'bravo', an Italian word adopted into English chiefly as an exclamation of enthusiastic approval. While 'bravo' praises a single performer, 'bravi' is the form used when applauding two or more people — most often heard in opera houses and concert halls after a strong ensemble performance. Italian grammar distinguishes further: 'brava' for a woman, 'brave' for a group of women, and 'bravi' for men or mixed company, so careful theatregoers sometimes deploy these forms precisely. The word ultimately traces back to Italian 'bravo', meaning bold or skilled, which also gave English 'brave', 'bravado', and 'bravura'. Separately, in historical accounts of 16th- and 17th-century Italy, 'bravi' can refer to hired swordsmen or ruffians retained by noblemen to enforce their will — a darker sense familiar from literature set in that era. Today, though, encountering 'bravi' almost always means applause.
nounThe plural of 'bravo', used either as a cry of approval or applause for a performance (especially addressed to multiple performers), or as a term for hired swordsmen or ruffians in 16th–17th century Italy.
- A cry of 'bravo' uttered to applaud several performers at once; the plural exclamation of approval.
- Historical: hired swordsmen, bullies, or assassins employed by noblemen in 16th–17th century Italy (the plural of 'bravo' in that sense).
"When the curtain fell, shouts of "Bravi! Bravi!" rang through the opera house."
"At the end of the ensemble number, the audience rose and cried "Bravi!" to the entire cast."
"In Renaissance Italy, nobles kept retinues of bravi to intimidate their rivals."
Because 'bravi' is itself a plural, it takes plural verbs: 'the bravi were dismissed'.
"The bravi scattered when the magistrate's guards appeared."
In Italian opera houses, shouting "Bravi!" to a whole cast shows you know your grammar — it's not just enthusiasm, it's correct plural applause.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bravi
'Bravi' comes from Italian 'bravo', meaning bold, spirited, or skilled, which entered European languages from Spanish or Italian sources ultimately connected to Latin 'barbarus' (foreign, uncivilized) via Vulgar Latin development. Italian borrowed the word as both an adjective ('bold') and a noun ('a hired swordsman'), and English took over both uses from the late 16th century onward, using 'bravoes' or 'bravi' for the ruffians and 'bravo'/'bravi' as exclamations of praise. Cognate derivatives include 'brave', 'bravery', 'bravado', and 'bravura'.
Related word forms
How bravi is actually used
As an exclamation, 'bravi' follows Italian gender agreement conventions: 'bravo' for a male performer, 'brava' for a female, 'bravi' for an all-male or mixed group, and 'brave' for an all-female group. The theatrical sense appears mainly in writing about music and opera; the sense referring to hired ruffians is largely confined to historical contexts.
Easily confused with bravi
'Bravo' is the singular form, shouted to one performer, while 'bravi' is its plural, directed at several performers.
'Brave' is an English adjective meaning courageous, whereas 'bravi' is an Italian-derived plural noun used as an exclamation of praise or a historical term for hired swordsmen.