feisty

Meaning

Adjective

• Tenacious, energetic, spunky.
• Belligerent; prepared to stand and fight, especially in spite of relatively small stature or some other disadvantage.
• Easily offended and ready to bicker.

Origin

• 1896, American, feist + -y; the term feist (now rare) itself originally meant “stink”, and earlier “fart”, from Middle English, from Old English, from Proto-Germanic, presumably from Proto-Indo-European – see feist for details.