- Today's Word
Moxie
[MOK-see]
Definition
- (noun) Courage, determination, and energy. It describes a person’s ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage, often implying a combination of nerve, skill, and confidence.
Example
Despite being new to the company, Sarah showed real moxie when she stood up to the CEO and pointed out the flaws in his proposed strategy.
Fun Fact
The word “moxie” originated as a brand name for a soft drink created in 1876 by Dr. Augustin Thompson in Lowell, Massachusetts. The carbonated beverage was marketed as a nerve tonic and claimed to cure various ailments. The drink’s advertising emphasized its ability to build courage, thus the word “moxie” gradually entered the American lexicon as a term for courage and verve. Interestingly, Moxie was one of the first mass-produced soft drinks in the United States, predating Coca-Cola by about a decade.
(noun) Excessive admiration or praise, often to the point of insincerity or obsession.
The celebrity was showered with adulation, though some of it felt more like performance than sincerity.
Late Middle English: from Latin adulatio(n-), from adulari meaning “to fawn upon.”