moxie

Meaning

1. (informal) Nerve, spunk, strength of character.
2. (informal) Verve.
3. (informal) Wit, smarts, skill.

Synonyms

guts

gumption

sand

backbone

courage

grit

eagerness

energy

enthusiasm

expertise

fervor

fervour

heart

❤️

impatience

know-how

nerve

pep

peppiness

pertness

push

relish

spunk

vigor

warmth

alacrity

zeal

ardor

ardour

cheerfulness

determination

drive

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɒksi/

Etymology

First recorded use in 1930. From the name of an American soft drink Moxie made since 1885 to which advertisement ascribed many beneficial properties directly but also indirectly by using the same name as a patent medicine first manufactured in 1878. The word appears in very many place names in Maine, especially of falls and ponds, and is perhaps ultimately from an Abenaki word meaning dark water.