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Added 9 October 2026

mettle

/ˈmɛtəl/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mettle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A quality of courage and endurance.
Good temperament and character.
Obsolete spelling of metal (“metallic substance”).

adjective

Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted.

Origin

From figurative use of metal (since 16th century). The two spellings were originally interchangeable variants, but came to be distinguished by sense in the 18th century.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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