feisty

[fahy-stee]

adjective

feistier, feistiest 

1. full of animation, energy, or courage; spirited; spunky; plucky.

   The champion is faced with a feisty challenger.

2. ill-tempered; pugnacious.

3. troublesome; difficult.

   feisty legal problems.

feisty

/ ˈfaɪstɪ /

adjective

1. lively, resilient, and self-reliant

2. frisky

3. irritable

Other Word Forms

• feistily adverb
• feistiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of feisty¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; feist + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of feisty¹

C19: from dialect feist, fist small dog; related to Old English fīsting breaking wind

Example Sentences

Morales wondered about the identity of this fast, feisty edge rusher and looked him up.

From Los Angeles Times

While he's made a name for himself as a feisty media performer among the party faithful, he's little known outside the London Assembly, where he is an elected member.

From BBC

“I feel like we’re in one of those Sunday night dramas about two bright-eyed, feisty old lady detectives outsmarting the police at every turn.”

From Los Angeles Times

The match was played out against the backdrop of Alexander Isak's desire to leave Newcastle for Liverpool, which contributed to a feisty atmosphere inside the stadium.

From BBC

Aster’s feistiest move is that he refuses to reveal the truth.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bubbly 
• courageous 
• excitable 
• fiery 
• gritty 
• gutsy 
• high-strung 
• lively 
• scrappy 
• spunky 

When To Use

What does feisty mean?

Feisty is used to describe someone or something that is full of energy or courage. Someone who’s described as feisty usually has a strong will and is unafraid of showing it, even in difficult circumstances or when challenged.Feisty is also used to describe a person or animal that is ill-tempered: Jack gets feisty when he is tired.Sometimes feisty is used to describe someone or something that is troublesome: My computer gets feisty whenever the software updates.   Feisty can be used as a compliment, praising someone’s courage, spiritedness, or pluckiness. Or it can be used somewhat critically, suggesting someone is prone to getting angry. Feisty depends on how someone thinks about the words and actions of the person or thing they think is feisty.Example: It took hours to catch the feisty puppy who easily outran all of us.