gumption

[ guhmp-shuh n ]
/ ˈgʌmp ʃən /

noun Informal.

initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness: With his gumption he'll make a success of himself.
courage; spunk; guts: It takes gumption to quit a high-paying job.
common sense; shrewdness.

Origin of gumption

1710–20; orig. Scots

OTHER WORDS FROM gumption

gump·tion·less, adjective gump·tious, adjective

Words nearby gumption

Example sentences from the Web for gumptious

British Dictionary definitions for gumptious

gumption
/ (ˈɡʌmpʃən) /

noun informal

British common sense or resourcefulness
initiative or courage you haven't the gumption to try

Word Origin for gumption

C18: originally Scottish, of unknown origin