Archaic form of hardiness; boldness, courage, or daring in the face of danger.
From Old French 'hardisse' meaning 'boldness,' which came from 'hard' (bold), entering English in Middle English as a virtue word commonly used in chivalric literature.
This gorgeous French-influenced word survives in medieval romance—knights displayed 'hardiesse,' a quality somewhere between courage and recklessness, making it the perfect word for the age of jousting and impossible quests.
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