Bravo ('excellent!' 'well done!'), an Italian exclamation of praise, the superlative form of which is Bravissimo! It is commonly used in England without distinction of number or gender; but the Italians say bravo! to a male singer or actor, brava! to a lady, and bravi! to a company of actors or singers.
Bravo
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 2: Beaugency to Cataract, p. 403
Source scan(s): p. 0414