spry

Meaning

Adjective

• Having great power of leaping or running; nimble; active.
• Vigorous; lively; cheerful.

Origin

• From British dialectal sprey, from Old Norse sprækr ("nimble, lively") from Proto-Germanic *sprēkiz ("lively"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pereg- ("to strew, jerk, sprinkle, scatter"). Cognate with Icelandic sprækur ("lively, spry"), Norwegian sprek ("lively, healthy"), dialectal Swedish sprygg ("brisk, very active, skittish"). More at spark. Related to sprack, sprig, sprug, freckle.