Word: plucky (adjective)

Associations

"Plucky" means showing courage and determination, especially when facing difficulties or danger. It describes someone brave and spirited.

• A plucky child stands up to a bully. This shows courage despite being smaller or weaker.
• A plucky team keeps trying hard even when losing a game. They don’t give up.
• A plucky person tries something new even if it’s scary, like public speaking.

Synonym: "brave."
Difference: "Brave" is a more general word for courage, while "plucky" often implies a smaller or weaker person showing surprising courage.

Substitution

You can use:

• brave (more general)
• courageous (stronger, more formal)
• bold (more about being confident)
• spirited (more about energy and enthusiasm)

Each word changes the feeling slightly. "Plucky" feels a bit affectionate and admiring for small but strong courage.

Deconstruction

The word "plucky" comes from "pluck," which means courage or spiritedness. The suffix "-y" turns it into an adjective meaning "having pluck."
"Pluck" originally meant to pull or pick but changed to mean courage in old English.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time you were plucky? What did you do?
• How is being plucky different from being reckless?
• Who is a plucky character in a movie or book you like? Why?