spunk
pronunciation
How to pronounce spunk in British English:
UK [spʌŋk]
How to pronounce spunk in American English:
US [spʌŋk]
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- Noun:
- material for starting a fire
- the courage to carry on
Word Origin
- spunk (n.)
- 1530s, "a spark," Scottish, from Gaelic spong "tinder, pith, sponge," from Latin spongia (see sponge (n.)). The sense of "courage, pluck, mettle" is first attested 1773. A similar sense evolution took place in cognate Irish sponnc "sponge, tinder, spark; courage, spunk." Vulgar slang sense of "seminal fluid" is recorded from c. 1888.
Example
- 1. Shanghai dived in , reviving all its old spunk and luster .
- 2. They don 't have their spunk or passion .
- 3. There surely would be someone with the spunk to marry her if only to have that very beautiful cow .
- 4. For god 's sake , man , where 's your spunk !
- 5. I admire your spunk and independence .