feisty
adjectiveattested in dialogue
- //ˈfaɪsti//
Tenacious, energetic, spunky.
adjective
- 1
Tenacious, energetic, spunky.
spirited and feisty
She gave a feisty response during the debate.
The feisty puppy barked at everyone.
- 2
Belligerent; prepared to stand and fight, especially in spite of relatively small stature or some other disadvantage.
small but feisty
The feisty wife of a world-renowned Russian sculptor emasculated an armed thug outside her Soho home — saying he “didn’t have the cojones to shoot her,” police sources said yesterday.
- 3
Easily offended and ready to bicker.
feisty attitude
Etymology
1896, American, feist (“small, aggressive dog”) + -y; the term feist (now rare) itself originally meant “stink”, and earlier “fart”, from Middle English, from Old English, from Proto-Germanic, presumably from Proto-Indo-European – see feist for details.
Forms
- comparative
- feistier, more feisty
- superlative
- feistiest, most feisty