Dictionary

plucky en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈplʌki/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English pluck Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English plucky From pluck (“nerve, persistence”) + -y.

Meanings

1. (informal) Having or showing pluck, courage or spirit in trying circumstances.
   • For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury, / Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century 1890, W. S. Gilbert, “The Modern Major-General”, in Songs of a Savoyard:
   • At the start of the hearing, Mr. Bezos introduced himself as a lucky and humble example of the success of American democracy — the son of a plucky mother and a supportive, immigrant father who “fostered my curiosity and encouraged me to dream big.” 2020 July 29, “Lawmakers From Both Sides Take Aim at Big Tech Executives”, in New York Times:
   • "Dam' plucky of you, fixing it up like that. I kept that copper talking...give you a chance. By George, you did it perfectly." 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 231:

Forms

Deriveds

pluckily · pluckiness

Synonyms

spunky · brave · feisty

Translations (33)

nb modig (having or showing pluck) · pt ousado (having or showing pluck) · it coraggioso (having or showing pluck) · sk odvážny (having or showing pluck) · hi वीर (having or showing pluck) · mi kiriūka (having or showing pluck) · bg решителен (having or showing pluck) · mi whaipara (having or showing pluck) · fi sisukas (having or showing pluck) · el θαρραλέος (having or showing pluck) · nb djerv (having or showing pluck) · es osado (having or showing pluck) · cmn 勇敢 (having or showing pluck) · pt impávido (having or showing pluck) · sv modig (having or showing pluck) · fr qui a du cran (having or showing pluck) · pl dzielny (having or showing pluck) · gl afouto (having or showing pluck) · pl odważny (having or showing pluck) · de beherzt (having or showing pluck) · cs kurážný (having or showing pluck) · sv djärv (having or showing pluck) · es valiente (having or showing pluck) · fi rohkea (having or showing pluck) · it impavido (having or showing pluck) · ru отва́жный (having or showing pluck) · gl ousado (having or showing pluck) · gl valente (having or showing pluck) · vi can đảm (having or showing pluck) · nrf gamme (having or showing pluck) · fr courageux (having or showing pluck) · de tapfer (having or showing pluck) · eo kuraĝa (having or showing pluck)