Definition of METTLE

mettle

Plural: mettles

Noun

  • A person's ability to cope well with difficulties; spirit or courage.
  • the courage to carry on
  • A quality of courage and endurance.
  • Good temperament and character.
  • Obsolete spelling of metal (“metallic substance”).

Adj

  • Spirited, vigorous, stout-hearted.

Examples

  • He showed his true mettle by finding a seven-letter word despite a challenging Scrabble rack.

Origin / Etymology

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.

Synonyms

heart, nerve, spunk, pith, spirit

Scrabble Score: 8

mettle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
mettle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
mettle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

mettle: valid Words With Friends Word