---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word courage comes from the same stem…"
description: "\"The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word Coeur, meaning \"heart.\" Thus just as one's heart, by pumping blood to one's arms, legs, an..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg"
---

#  The word courage comes from the same stem as the French…

![“The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word Coeur, meaning &quot;heart.&quot; Thus just as one's heart, by pumping blood to one's arms, legs, and brain enables all the other physical organs to function, so courage makes possible all the psychological virtues. Without courage other values…” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg)

> “The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word Coeur, meaning "heart." Thus just as one's heart, by pumping blood to one's arms, legs, and brain enables all the other physical organs to function, so courage makes possible all the psychological virtues. Without courage other values wither away into mere facsimiles of virtue.”

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Courage is the heart of virtue, enabling all other psychological strengths to function.

**In simple terms:** Courage fuels all virtues.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate courage to support other values.

Themes

courage virtue psychology heart strength

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- personal development
- leadership
- mental health
- ethical decision making
- overcoming fear

Key Concepts

humanism existentialism psychological resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How does courage manifest in daily decisions?
- What virtues are hardest to sustain without courage?

A Different Perspective

Courage alone cannot guarantee moral behavior without practice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Organs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organs/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Self development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-development/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/)

## Related quotes

> [“The Hottentot Venus was well known in her time and even after. In the 1939 cinematic version of The Wizard of Oz, Bert Lahr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rion-amilcar-scott/the-hottentot-venus-was-well-known-in-her-time-and-even-after-in-the/)

[Rion Amilcar Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rion-amilcar-scott/)

> [“The root of the word courage is ‘cor’, which is the Latin word for heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jelbert/the-root-of-the-word-courage-is-cor-which-is-the-latin-word-for-heart/)

[Will Jelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jelbert/)

> [The word 'courage,' one of my favorite words, the root or the etymology of that word is 'cour,' which means heart. I think true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/the-word-courage-one-of-my-favorite-words-the-root-or-the-etymology/)

[Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/)

> [If but one message, I may leave behind, One single word of courage for my kind, It would be this – Oh, brother, sister,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-noll-crowell/if-but-one-message-i-may-leave-behind-one-single-word-of-courage-for/)

[Grace Noll Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-noll-crowell/)

> [This is the first teaching of the Knights: You will erase everything you had written in the book of your life up until now:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/this-is-the-first-teaching-of-the-knights-you-will-erase-everything/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Advance our standards, set upon our foes; Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George, Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/advance-our-standards-set-upon-our-foes-our-ancient-word-of-courage/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [The word courage comes from the French word 'coeur', which means heart. True power proceeds not from force, but from love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/the-word-courage-comes-from-the-french-word-coeur-which-means-heart/)

[Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/)

> [Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-is-a-heart-word-the-root-of-the-word-courage-is-cor-the-latin/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [The word courage - God, I love that word. Words are so important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-fonda/the-word-courage-god-i-love-that-word-words-are-so-important-to-me/)

[Peter Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-fonda/)

> [“He thought of the virtues of courage and forbearance, which become flabby when there is nothing to use them on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-thought-of-the-virtues-of-courage-and-forbearance-which-become/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [The only thing is, people have to develop courage. It is most important of all the virtues. Because without courage, you can't practice any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-only-thing-is-people-have-to-develop-courage-it-is-most-important/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [Humility is the mother of all virtues, courage the father, integrity the child and wisdom the grandchild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/humility-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-courage-the-father-integrity/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you cant practice any other virtue consistently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-is-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

## More by Rollo May

> [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

[Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

## More Arms quotes

> [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/)

Brian Reade

> [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/)

[Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/)

> [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/)

[Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/)

> [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/)

[Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/)

> [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/)

[Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/)

> [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/)

[Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/)

> [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/)

[Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/)

Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word Coeur, meaning \"heart.\" Thus just as one's heart, by pumping blood to one's arms, legs, and brain enables all the other physical organs to function, so courage makes possible all the psychological virtues. Without courage other values wither away into mere facsimiles of virtue.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rollo May"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-stem-as-the-french-word-coeur/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Arms"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-stem-as-the-french-word-coeur/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/rollo-may-1295_arms_the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-ste_576143.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word Coeur, meaning \"heart.\" Thus just as one's…” — Rollo May",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rollo May",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The word courage comes from the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-stem-as-the-french-word-coeur/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-word-courage-comes-from-the-same-stem-as-the-french-word-coeur/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
