Moxie
[MAHK-see]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: American English, 19th century
1.
Force of character, determination, or nerve.
Examples of Moxie in a sentence
"Arlene had no experience, but lots of moxie, and her attitude got her hired."
"Mark held onto his youthful moxie even though he was decades past his teen years."
About Moxie
“Moxie” as an adjective is taken directly from the name of New England soft-drink Moxie, which was marketed as strengthening drinkers’ nerves.
Did you Know?
The first appearance of the word “moxie” was as the soft drink Moxie, patented by Augustin Thompson in Lowell, MA, in 1885. Its flavor is a combination of root beer with a bitter aftertaste of gentian root, which is traditionally used in herbal medicine. Moxie was originally sold as “Moxie Nerve Food,” and, in its early marketing, it was said to cure “paralysis, softening of the brain, nervousness, and insomnia,” which strengthened its association with strong nerves and forceful character.
