Pep
/pɛp/noun
Energy, liveliness, or spirited enthusiasm.
Did you know?The word rose in American English as slang for vigor and spirit, likely influenced by earlier words like peppy and pepful rather than any ancient occult root.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
pep
“Liveliness, energy, spirit”
Late 19th Century
English
peppy
“Full of pep; lively, spirited”
Late 19th Century
English
pepful
“Having pep; full of spirit”
Earlier English
English
pepper
“The pungent spice; source of the sound and feel of sharpness in later slang”