spunk

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the courage to carry on

   They kept fighting on pure spunk.

Simplified etymology

Spunk, of uncertain origin, appeared in the mid-16th century meaning “spark,” “fire,” or “tinder” and may be related to punk. It developed the sense “courage and determination” in the late 18th century and “semen” in the late 19th century.

1530, blend of spark + funk (obsolete, “spark”). Funk (“spark, touchwood”) is from Middle English funke, fonke (“spark”), from Old English *funca (“spark”), from Proto-West Germanic *funkō, from Proto-Germanic *funkô (“spark”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peng- (“to shine”), and is akin to Middle Low German funke, fanke (“spark”), Middle Dutch vonke (“spark”), Old High German funcho, funko (“spark”), German Funke (“spark”).

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External links

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