mettle

[met-l]

noun

1. courage and fortitude.

   a man of mettle.

   Synonyms: fiber, nerve, ardor, vigor, pluck, valor

2. disposition or temperament.

   a man of fine mettle.

mettle

/ ˈmɛtəl /

noun

1. courage; spirit

2. inherent character

3. roused to putting forth one's best efforts

Word History and Origins

Origin of mettle¹

1575–85; spelling variant of metal, in metaphoric usages

Word History and Origins

Origin of mettle¹

C16: originally variant spelling of _metal

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on one's mettle, in the position of being incited to do one's best.

   The loss of the first round put him on his mettle to win the match.

Example Sentences

And Su will need to prove her mettle in a less familiar set of roles: as a saleswoman, dealmaker and lobbyist.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now comes the hardest bit - the biggest test of their mettle to move another step closer to the greatest dream of them all.

Read more on BBC

His executive mettle was challenged when, during the 9/11 attacks, he found himself in charge at the White House while the president was traveling.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I knew part of me desperately wanted a chance to prove my mettle.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At the time, despite Picasso’s global renown, few collectors had the mettle for the revolutionary but difficult Cubist epoch.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bravery 
• caliber 
• courage 
• fortitude 
• grit 
• spunk 
• stamina 
• temperament