Gritless

/ˈɡrɪtləs/ adjective

Definition

Lacking grit; without determination, courage, or perseverance; also lacking graininess or sandy texture.

Etymology

From 'grit' with the negating suffix '-less,' meaning the absence of either physical grit (sand) or metaphorical grit (courage).

Kelly Says

The metaphorical use of 'gritless' to mean spineless comes from the 1800s—people admired 'gritty' pioneers, so calling someone gritless was the ultimate insult to their character.

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