moxie

/ˈmɒksi/

//ˈmɒksi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"moxie" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“moxie” is uncommon English (frequency #50,083 among 4,057 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,083
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Nerve, spunk, strength of character.

Corpus desk

Index EN-moxie · moxie · English

moxie · rank #50,083 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #50,083
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH mota

Nearest frequency peer: mota (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “moxie”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “moxie” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for moxie
PropertyValue
Headwordmoxie
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɒksi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#50,083
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “moxie” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).moxiefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “mota” (#50,082), “MPN” (#50,084), “MRA” (#50,085). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “moxie” is #50,083. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

moxie is uncommon English at frequency #50,083 among 4,057 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmɒksi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for moxie, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: First recorded use in 1930. From the name of an American soft drink Moxie made since 1885 to which advertisement ascribed many beneficial properties directly but also indirectly by using the same name as a patent medicine first manufactured in 1878. The wor… The correct English form is moxie, spelled M-O-X-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Nerve, spunk, strength of character.
  2. 2
    Verve.
  3. 3
    Wit, smarts, skill.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how moxie appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. “Most definitely not!” replied Ms. Summers, who quickly added that she admired the woman’s moxie and, anyway, the day was hot.
  2. Aline Brosh McKenna, one of the creators of The CW TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, told a reporter in 2020: “I often say, ‘Lord, give me the moxie of a post-menopausal women^([sic]) who gives absolutely no fucks.’”

Etymology

First recorded use in 1930. From the name of an American soft drink Moxie made since 1885 to which advertisement ascribed many beneficial properties directly but also indirectly by using the same name as a patent medicine first manufactured in 1878. The word appears in very many place names in Maine, especially of falls and ponds, as well as the local name of a plant, the moxie-plum, and is perhaps ultimately from an Abenaki word meaning 'dark water' or an Algonquian root maski- meaning 'herbal infusion'.

This word in other languages

espíritu(Español)tripes(Français)Mumm(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "moxie"?
"moxie" is spelled M-O-X-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɒksi/.
What does "moxie" mean?
As a noun, "moxie" means: Nerve, spunk, strength of character.
How do you pronounce "moxie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "moxie" is /ˈmɒksi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "moxie"?
First recorded use in 1930. From the name of an American soft drink Moxie made since 1885 to which advertisement ascribed many beneficial properties directly but also indirectly by using the same name as a patent medicine first manufactured in 187... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "moxie", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Negev#50,097nizam#50,110nodal#50,111nosey#50,116

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list