gameness

American  

[geym-nis] / ˈgeɪm nɪs /

noun

1. the quality of having a fighting spirit; courage or resolution; pluck.

   The horse revealed his true gameness, coming up from behind after that early stumble.

2. the required enthusiasm or will to do something.

   In a show of gameness, they tackled the icy path with shovels and picks.

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gameness British  

/ ˈɡeɪmnɪs /

noun

1. courage or bravery; pluck

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Etymology

Origin of gameness

First recorded in 1805–10; game ¹ (in the adjective senses “plucky” and “enthusiastic”) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Onstage, Brand has prided himself on a thrill-seeking gameness.

From New York Times • Nov. 13, 2023

Too bad the weak body-swapping farce she’s given to play isn’t worthy of her gameness, a missed opportunity to fuse Lovecraft, Blake Edwards and Paul Verhoeven.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2023

And the passing of melodic themes between the chorus and the orchestra at the convergence of the finale was a breathtaking display of Britten’s compositional dexterity — and the BSO’s gameness.

From Washington Post • Apr. 3, 2022

Then there are other guests like Kacey Musgraves and Lil Nas X who pleasantly surprised me with their gameness to play.

From Salon • May 27, 2020

The quality of gameness in a fish is best determined by the character of the tackle used.

From The Determined Angler and the Brook Trout an anthological volume of trout fishing, trout histories, trout lore, trout resorts, and trout tackle by Bradford, Charles Barker