Etymology

daredevil

dare·dev·il
D2A1R1E1D2E1V4I1L1

Today it means: A person who engages in very risky behavior, especially one who is motivated by a craving for excitement or attention. Full definition →

First used 1794
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The story

From dare + devil; an exocentric compound, "one who dares the devil".

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1794 A person who engages in very risky behavior, especially one who is motivated by a craving for excitement or attention.
  • from 1832 Recklessly bold; adventurous.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.