Pluckiness
/ˈplʌk.i.nəs/noun
The quality of being spirited, brave, and determined.
Did you know?Pluck comes from a Germanic root meaning “to pull” or “pluck,” and English later turned that physical grabbing motion into a metaphor for bold, snatching courage.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plek-
“to pluck, pull, or strike”
Old English
OE
pluccian
“to pluck or pick off with the fingers”
Middle English
ME
plucken
“to pull out, pick, or seize”
16th Century
English
pluck
“courage or spirit, especially resolute nerve”
18th Century
English
pluckiness
“the quality of having courage, spirit, or nerve”
Modern English
English
pluckiness
“spirited bravery and determination”