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plucky

[pluhk-ee]
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adjective, pluck·i·er, pluck·i·est.
  1. having or showing pluck or courage; brave: The drowning swimmer was rescued by a plucky schoolboy.
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Origin of plucky

First recorded in 1820–30; pluck + -y1
Related formspluck·i·ly, adverbpluck·i·ness, noun

Synonyms

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courageous, determined; cheerful; spunky, spirited.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

heartnervegamenessadventurousnessdashprowessrashnesstemerityspunkpugnacitydaringendurancegutsspiritheroismvalorfortitudefearlessnessgritpower

Examples from the Web for pluckiness

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • It was beautiful, the pluckiness of it, the impudence of it.

    Following the Equator, Complete

    Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

  • They were decidedly in the wrong, but one cannot but admire their pluckiness.

    The Story of London

    Henry B. Wheatley

  • It is no more than he ought to have done, for your pluckiness saved Flurry.

    Esther

    Rosa Nouchette Carey

British Dictionary definitions for pluckiness

plucky

adjective pluckier or pluckiest
  1. having or showing courage in the face of difficulties, danger, etc
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Derived Formspluckily, adverbpluckiness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pluckiness

plucky

adj.

1831, from pluck (n.) + -y (2). Related: Pluckily; pluckiness.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper