moxie

See also: mòxiě, and móxiě

English

Alternative forms

• moxy

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.

Pronunciation

• enPR: mŏk'sē, IPA^(key): /ˈmɒksi/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒksi

Noun

moxie (uncountable) (US, informal)

1. Nerve, spunk, strength of character.

   Synonyms: spirit, backbone, determination, fortitude

   • 2021 July 22, Guy Trebay, “Suddenly It’s Bare Season”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     “Most definitely not!” replied Ms. Summers, who quickly added that she admired the woman’s moxie and, anyway, the day was hot.

   • 2023 November 11, Emma Jacobs, quoting Aline Brosh McKenna, “When will I start caring less about everything?”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 4:

     Aline Brosh McKenna, one of the creators of The CW TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, told a reporter in 2020: “I often say, ‘Lord, give me the moxie of a post-menopausal women^[sic] who gives absolutely no fucks.’”

2. Verve.

   Synonyms: vigor, pep, energy, initiative

   • 1971, John Updike, Rabbit Redux, page 401:

     As a girl she had speed and a knock-kneed moxie at athletics, and might have done more with it if she hadn't harvested all the glory already.

   • 2011 January 29, “Rollercoaster: The Musical!” (“Aren't You a Little Young?” (song)), in Phineas and Ferb, season 2, episode 38, spoken by Building Engineer (Dan Povenmire):

     Yes it's true! / That you seem a little young to do the things that you do, / even with all that moxie you've got.

3. Wit, smarts, skill.

   Synonym: know-how

Usage notes

The origin of this word as the name of a popular product marketed as a cure-all may help to understand the logic behind the plurality of its similar meanings. The meanings can be grouped into "cures" for the problems of feeling too weak in spirit, body, or mind; in other words, of being overwhelmed/helpless, exhausted/listless, or confused/perplexed.

Translations

spirit, courage, force of character

• Bulgarian: кураж (bg) m (kuraž)
• Finnish: luonteenlujuus, selkäranka (fi)
• French: tripes (fr) f pl
• German: Mumm (de) m
• Japanese: 度胸 (ja) (dokyō), 根性 (ja) (konjō)
• Spanish: espíritu (es) m

vigor, energy

• Bulgarian: енергичност (bg) f (energičnost)
• Finnish: puhti (fi), pontevuus (fi)
• German: Tatkraft (de) f, Energie (de) f

wit, skill, know-how

• Bulgarian: умение (bg) n (umenie)
• Finnish: taito (fi), taitavuus (fi)
• German: Fähigkeit (de) f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} vastberadenheid (nl), doortastenheid

Anagrams

• oxime