First Known Use: 1582
Dictionary
1spunk
noun \ˈspəŋk\
: spirit, courage, and determination
Full Definition of SPUNK
1
a : a woody tinder : punk b : any of various fungi used to make tinder
3
: spirit, liveliness
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Origin of SPUNK
Scottish Gaelic spong sponge, tinder, from Middle Irish spongc, from Latin spongia sponge
Related to SPUNK
- Synonyms
- backbone, constancy, fiber, grit, grittiness, guts, intestinal fortitude, pluck, fortitude
- Antonyms
- spinelessness
2spunk
intransitive verb
Definition of SPUNK
dial : to show spirit —usually used with up
First Known Use of SPUNK
1840
SPUNK[2] Defined for Kids
spunk
noun \ˈspəŋk\
Definition of SPUNK for Kids
Word History of SPUNK
The English word spunk comes from spong, a word in Scottish Gaelic (the traditional language of northern Scotland) that meant “tinder” or “sponge.” This word, in turn, came from Latin spongia, “sponge.” The English word at first meant “tinder,” which is a spongy material that catches fire easily. Since the human spirit can also be thought of as catching fire, spunk came to mean “spirit.”
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