spunk

¹spunk

noun \ˈspəŋk\

Definition of SPUNK

1

a : a woody tinder : punk

b : any of various fungi used to make tinder

2

: mettle, pluck

3

: spirit, liveliness

Examples of SPUNK

1. That little girl has a lot of spunk.
2. <had the spunk to overcome a severe physical disability>

Origin of SPUNK

Scottish Gaelic spong sponge, tinder, from Middle Irish spongc, from Latin spongia sponge

First Known Use: 1582

Related to SPUNK

Synonyms

backbone, constancy, fiber, grit, grittiness, guts, intestinal fortitude, pluck, fortitude

Antonyms

spinelessness

Related Words

determination, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution; bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, gallantry, greatheartedness, intrepidity, intrepidness, nerve, stoutness, valor; endurance, forbearance, stamina, sufferance, tolerance; heart, mettle, spirit; audacity, boldness, brass, cheek, chutzpah (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa), effrontery, gall, hardihood, nerve, nerviness, temerity

Near Antonyms

indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution, vacillation; cowardice, cowardliness, cravenness, dastardliness, faintheartedness, pusillanimity, timidity, timorousness

Rhymes with SPUNK

bunk, chunk, clunk, drunk, dunk, flunk, funk, gunk, hunk, junk, monk, plunk, punk, skunk, sunk, thunk, trunk

²spunk

intransitive verb

Definition of SPUNK

dialect

: to show spirit —usually used with up

First Known Use of SPUNK

1840

Other Dialect Terms

bespoke, boughten, lave, muchacho, nigh, thunk, toboggan