Word of the Day: Mettle

by Daniel Scocco

Mettle is a quality of temperament. It refers to courage, fortitude and disposition. Mettle can also mean the “stuff of which a person is made.” The word is a variant spelling of metal, and its origin comes exactly from the allusion to the temper of a sword.

But it’s only after a stumble or failure that a manager or leader shows his or her true mettle. (Business Week)

But several have come upon a new way to test their virtuosic mettle: Amid the latest violin disks, most of which are conventional studio productions, there are several recordings of live performances, issues without cosmetic editing. (NY Times)

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One Response to “Word of the Day: Mettle”

  1. Peter on October 11, 2009 9:16 am

    Mettle can also mean the “stuff of which a person is made.”

    So if I say I’m made of mettle, people won’t think I’m a robot (or, more likely, delusional)? :)

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