Pluckily
/ˈplʌkɪli/noun
In a spirited, brave, or determined manner.
Did you know?“Plucky” and “pluckily” come from “pluck,” which once meant not just to pull, but also to have spirit or courage—so bravery was literally imagined as something you could tug out of yourself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleu-
“to flow, float, or fly”
Old English
OE
pluccian
“to pull, pluck, or pick”
Middle English
ME
plucken
“to pull off, seize, or gather”
14th–16th Century
English
pluck
“courage, spirit, or determination”
Late 19th Century
English
pluckily
“in a brave, spirited manner”
Explore more surprising origins