spunk
English
/spʌŋk/
noun
Definitions
- (countable) A spark.
- (uncountable) Touchwood; tinder.
- (countable) A piece of tinder, sometimes impregnated with sulphur; a match.
- (uncountable) Courage; spirit; mettle; determination.
- (countable) An attractive person (normally male).
- (uncountable) Semen.
Etymology
Derived from Old Irish sponc derived from Latin spongia (sponge) derived from Middle English funke derived from Old English *funce (spark) derived from Proto-Germanic *funkô derived from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peng-.
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*(s)peng-
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- spunkily English
- spunkiness English
- spunkish English
- spunky English
- *sponga Latin
- spongia Latin
- Funke German
- Zündfunke German
- funkeln German
- funken German
- funkenfrei German
- spongya Hungarian
- spugna Italian
- vonk Dutch, Flemish
- esponja Spanish, Castilian
- espundia Spanish, Castilian
- σπογγία Ancient Greek
- σπογγιά Ancient Greek
- *(s)peng- Proto-Indo-European
- esponja Portuguese
- *funkô Proto-Germanic
- *funce Old English
- spunge Old English
- funke Middle English
- espoinge Old French
- esponja Catalan, Valencian
- esponxa Galician
- spongie Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
- spânz Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
- vonke Middle Dutch
- funko Old High German
- sponc Old Irish
- funke Middle High German
- funko Old Dutch
- espunlha Old Portuguese
- spingiu Aromanian
- esponxa Asturian
- sponze Friulian
- esponxa Leonese