Grit Means Sand, and Also Courage
Grit is small hard particles. American English turned it into a word for stubborn endurance.
Grit is small hard particles of stone or sand, and figuratively courage and determination. The figurative sense is American, from the 1800s, and rests on the image of hardness: someone with grit does not wear away. Psychologists later adopted the word as a technical term for sustained perseverance towards long-term goals. *Grits*, the American southern dish, is a separate use of the same word, from Old English *grytt*, coarsely ground grain.
- Hard particles. *Grit on the road.*
- Courage. *True grit.*
- To clench. *Grit your teeth.*
- Grits — ground corn. *A bowl of grits.*
- Old English — *greot*, sand. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | grit | Grit. |
| Verb | grit | Gritting. |
| Adjective | gritty | Gritty. |
| Plural noun | grits | Grits. |
| Old English | greot | Sand. |
- Grit was spread on the ice.Road.
- She showed real grit.Courage.
- Grit your teeth and push.Verb.
Words for endurance
- Grit — American, from the hardness of sand
- Backbone — from the spine holding a body upright
- Mettle — a variant spelling of metal
- Pluck — from the heart and liver of a slaughtered animal
- Stamina — Latin, the threads of life spun by the Fates
Old English *greot*, sand or gravel, of Germanic origin. The sense of courage is American, from the 1800s.
Why does grit mean courage?
From the hardness of sand and stone. Someone with grit does not wear away under pressure.
Are grits the same word?
Yes, from Old English grytt meaning coarsely ground grain, which shares a root with the sand sense.